Contrary to popular belief, the immune system is not made up of a single tissue or organ. The human immune system is a combination of various components and is one of the most advanced animal systems on the planet. The immune system is constantly working to keep bacteria and viruses at bay and to better understand the body's immune system it is important to understand the various components that make up the human immune system. The immune system is activated every time a possible ?invasion? occurs and everything from a mosquito bite, to a small cut triggers an immune system response.
The major components of the immune system are:
The Thymus
The thymus is located between the breast bone and the heart and is responsible for producing T-cells. New born babies are extremely vulnerable without the thymus and the thymus is a vital part of a newborn's immune system. Adults, on the other hand can survive without a thymus (as other components of the immune system can make up for the lack of a thymus).
The Spleen
The spleen is responsible for destroying old red blood cells and is responsible for filtering blood for foreign particles. Although adults can survive without a spleen but people without a spleen do fall sick more often.
Bone Marrow
All ?hollow bones? in the body have bone marrow, and bone marrow is responsible for producing both red and white blood cells. Although red blood cells mature in the bone marrow, white blood cells are usually released from the bone marrow and mature elsewhere. The bone marrow produces cells from stem cells that are essentially ?raw cells? that act as precursors to other red and white blood cells. Bone marrow is one of the most essential components of the immune system.
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system runs through the entire body much like blood vessels carrying colourless liquid called lymph. Lymph flows through the body without any central pumping organ and is responsible for carrying nutrients and fluids to remote body parts. The lymphatic system also helps the body detect unwanted bacteria. Lymph node swelling is usually a result of an infection or immune system response.
Antibodies
Every time the body faces a new antigen (bacteria, virus or toxin) the body produces a Y shaped protein called an antibody. When the body comes across a bacteria or virus that it has encountered before; the immune system triggers a response producing antibodies. The antibody binds to the antigen's surface disabling it and blocking its free movement across body membranes like blood vessels and capillaries. Antibodies are also known as immunoglobulins and are classified into 5 further categories.
It is important to understand that the immune system is made up of numerous components and what is even more interesting is that not all components of the immune system are triggered at the same time. Different components of the immune system are put to use depending on the type of infection and the immune response.
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