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Cell FYI

What are immune cells? Protect the human body from being infested by germs

Specific immune cells: T cells, B cells
Immune cells are the general term for cells that participate in the immune response in the human body. When the body is invaded by viruses or bacteria, immune cells can recognize antigens, and then initiate the body's immune response to protect the body from illness. Immune cells can be divided into three types: specific immune cells, non-specific immune cells and antigen presenting cells.

 

Specific immune cells include T cells and B cells, which have a memory function in the immune response, can remember different antigens, and make a targeted immune response against the antigen.

 

Non-specific immune cells: NK cells, macrophages, neutrophils, mast cells
Non-specific immune cells are the first line of defense of the human immune system. They can identify multiple antigens and destroy invading bacteria, but they cannot make specific immune responses against different antigens. Macrophages, neutrophils, NK cells, mast cells, etc. are all non-specific immune cells.

 

Antigen presenting cells: dendritic cells, macrophages, B cells
Help capture the antigen in the human body, present the antigen to T cells, and strengthen the ability of T cells to recognize antigens. Dendritic cells, macrophages and B cells can all play the role of antigen presentation.

Simply put, immunity is the body's defense mechanism. When the human body encounters "foreign body" invasion, if it is allowed to proliferate in large numbers, it will cause disease. White blood cells usually patrol the body to monitor any subtle reactions. Once a foreign body invades, the immune system will send out "soldiers" to quickly collect intelligence, organize "armies" to resist foreign enemies, and eliminate them when necessary. In other words, soldiers must have the ability to distinguish between "self" and "non-self." This is the wonder of the immune system. As long as discernment and resistance can work, people will not get sick. Therefore, once the immunity is reduced, various diseases will easily follow.


​White blood cells play a role in monitoring foreign bodies in the body and killing germs and cancer cells in the human body. Which is divided into:

Macrophage (macrophage): The largest cell in white blood cells, accounting for about 5% of the total blood cells, can wriggle like an amoeba to swallow and decompose foreign bodies.

Lymphocytes: Receiving commands from macrophages, some cells release adhesive molecules to fight foreign bodies and produce antibodies.

Granulocytes: After the foreign body is wrapped in a membrane, it is digested and decomposed by enzymes and active oxygen to strengthen the power of macrophages to swallow the foreign body.

First of all, macrophages will measure the size of the foreign body. If the foreign body is too small to be swallowed by the pellet, the macrophage will issue an attack command to the lymphocyte. After the lymphocyte finds a foreign body, it releases adhesive molecules to capture and process the foreign body. Some lymphocytes will label foreign bodies as "antigens", and the lymphocytes can be processed first when the same antigen invades next time. Lymphocytes also include: T cells, B cells and NK cells.
T cells: play the role of commander-in-chief, responsible for receiving and sending combat messages, accounting for 70-80% of peripheral blood lymph;
B cells: Specially produce antibodies to deal with foreign bodies in the body, accounting for about 5-10%;
NK cells: non-specific cytotoxicity, accounting for about 15-20%.

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