The Body’s Army (Immune System)
An abbreviated view of the immune system
The immune system can be viewed as armies of highly organised chemicals that interact with each other in complex ways. Their purpose is to detect and defeat invading armies consisting of toxins, bacteria, viruses, dying tissue, allergens, clotting blood and waste materials.
They
circulate in the blood stream searching for invaders that they devour and are
amongst the first to be summoned to the site of an invasion. They squeeze out of
the blood stream into the interstitial fluid when called to the site of an
invading army.
Granulocytes
engulf all invaders. They attack indiscriminately everything of a foreign nature
that they come across. They are called into action by chemical messengers when
the body’s defences are breached; exploding mast cells and releasing histamines
and other messengers into the blood causing an inflammatory response.
Neutrophils
are the foot soldier; small, short lived cells. Kamikaze like they are released
in response to an infection. Throwing themselves into the battle they die in
billions. They engulf an invader releasing their enzyme filled cytoplasm to kill
it. Unfortunately for the Neutrophils their own enzymes weapons kill them too.
Their primary targets are micro-organisms.
Eosinophils
are the most specialised unit in the army they devour IgE-antibody – allergen
complexes. Eosinophils are an important part of the allergic reaction.
Monocytes
circulate in the blood. They are our untrained conscripts but once called to the
battle they become macrophages and have enormous destructive power. Macrophages
have a voracious appetite for the battle. They are able to glue themselves
together to become super weapons with the ability to overcome the largest
opponents. They live in the body for many years and are able to enormously
reproduce their numbers during times of war. They engulf unproductive blood
cells, damaged tissue, exhausted neutrophils, and indigestible material.
Basophils
do not devour invaders or waste material but play an important role in
inflammation and the allergic response.
These
are white blood cells which are involved in the body’s specific immune system.
They act as guided missiles; individual lymphocytes that are programmed to
attack specific targets. They are found mainly in the lymph system.
Undifferentiated Lymphocytes develop into two major classes
B lymphocytes
and T lymphocytes.
B
lymphocytes (B - Cells) produce proteins called antibodies which have very
specific targets. When B - Cells come up against antigens* the B - cell changes
itself into plasma and mass produces antibodies at the rate of 2000 a second.
Other B- cells transform into memory cells protecting the body from further
similar attacks. They are long lived.
Types of Antibodies
IgA type - are found mostly in mucus membranes attacking antigens in the nose and throat.
IgD type - very little is known about what this type does.
IgE type – causes allergic reactions when binding to certain antigens. They attach themselves to basophils and similar cells called mast cells. When they find an antigen, their configuration changes causing the mast cell to explode spilling chemicals into the blood (histamines, enzymes etc.) signalling our other immune troops to the battle.
IgG type – these are the most common and are very important for immune system function.
IgM type – are the largest antibodies again these are important for proper immune system function.
T
lymphocytes (T-
Cells) These long lived cells transfer into active and memory
cells. They are the body’s main defence against bacterial infections. They also
destroy fungi, cancerous cells and wound cells that are harbouring bacteria and
viruses. They also stimulate the production of B – Cells. T – Cells produce and
release chemicals called lymphokienes that attract macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils towards sensitised T- Cells attracting them and keeping them at
the site of the battle. The chemicals signal the macrophages to increase their
voracious appetite. Lymphokienes also inhibit the reproduction of viruses,
control blood clotting and influence other chemical changes useful to the immune
response.
T – Cell types
Killer cells - these target and attack singe antigens.
Helper cells – these activate B – Cells causing them to change into plasma and releasing their antibodies into the blood stream.
Suppressor cells - these control the whole battle monitoring and adjusting the amount of antibodies by counteracting the action of our over zealous helper cells.
Apart from the main army, there is also a complement system.
Complementary chemical reactions are initiated when an antibody binds to an antigen. The binding activates the complement proteins in the blood stream. There are a set of 9 proteins (C1 to C9) they change into active enzymes which attach to invaders and ‘punch’ a hole through the invaders cell membrane causing it to explode. Some complementary proteins also attack viruses where others attach to antigens attracting phagocytes to attack them. Other complement proteins can also act as reserve phagocytes.
A typical battle (at the site of a wound)
As soon as invading micro-organisms are detected they are attacked by the macrophages, neutrophils, B and T –Cells which are in the near vicinity. These are not sufficient to win the battle- only to hold it for a time. Basophils are activated to release histamines; the battle action produces chemical messengers. Inflammation is initiated and the chemical messages are sent to bone marrow which increases the production of phagocytes. These are then sent to the site of the battle. Chemical messengers summon more macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes, antibodies lock onto invaders and the complementary system is activated. The complementary system kills some invaders and ‘targets’ others for attack by macrophages, and so the systems manages to hold the ground until reserves arrive. Debris of the battle produced by the complementary system produces urgent messages attracting more phagocytes and lymphocytes to the battle. With the arrival of T – Cells the battle escalates into all out war. The Killer T – Cells attack antigens directly causing more production of lymphokienes chemicals and intensifying the efforts of our defenders.
Eventually the immune system overcomes the invading armies but as with any protracted battle the debris of war, in this case dying and dead cells, damaged tissue, damaged blood cells and the over production of now not required immune cells (our army) interferes with life until the necessary repair’s, removals and clearing has been completed, in some cases this may take years. It is at this time that the body needs some help. Post immune response stress of one type or another has and will continue to be the subject of many medicinal papers and books.
Don’t forget Trinity can help you and your horse with the aftermath of infections, fungal, bacterial and viral, see:-
L94 BLOOD FORMULA 43 Arun Powder Ashva Mitra
We have formulations to help us too. (humans!)
Also talk to Roger a bespoke formulation can be designed to fit your horse’s particular requirement.
*An antigen is a substance that stimulates an immune response, especially the production of antibodies. Antigens are usually proteins or polysaccharides, but can be any type of molecule.
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