What are the interesting facts about the immune system? The immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. Discover 10 amazing facts about this complex defense system.

The Immune System: A Powerful Defense Network

The human body is an optimal environment for various pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, to thrive. The immune system works to limit these microbes’ access to the body and prevent them from growing and causing illness. While most people know the basic function of the immune system, there are many intricacies about your body’s natural defense system that you may not be aware of.

Unique Functions of the Immune System

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infection. “Think of the immune system like the military,” says Dat Tran, MD, an immunologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “There are different branches that each serve a unique function in protecting the body.”

The first line of defense is the white blood cells, which are the first to recognize pathogens and fight off infection. Lymphocytes, a specific type of white blood cells, work to allow the body to remember the invading microbes to fight them faster in future infections. Other parts of the immune system include the bone marrow, where white blood cells are produced; lymph nodes, which produce and store infection-fighting cells throughout the body; and the spleen, which helps control the amount of blood in the body and cleans out old or damaged blood cells from the body.

The Role of Vaccines in Immune System Education

Vaccines play an important role in educating your immune system. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies against a foreign invader without actually infecting the individual with the disease. As a result, when the body encounters that infection in the future, it knows how to fight it off.

“Vaccines educate the immune system using a unique component of that pathogen so, upon exposure to that pathogen in the future, you have very minimal to no symptoms,” Tran says.

The Delicate Balance of Microbes

Every day, we encounter billions of germs, but they’re not all bad. Though it may not be pleasant to think about, countless microbes live on and in our bodies, and they are actually necessary to maintain good health.

“Good bacteria in our body provides us with nutrients we need and also provides a defense against bad bacteria and infection,” Tran says. A balance needs to be maintained because when good bacteria is reduced, bad bacteria can take over, making us feel sick, he says.

The Impact of Stress and Lifestyle on Immunity

Stress can affect the way your immune system works. Stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone that is important for overall function of our body; but too much of it can lead to a number of health problems, including decreased immunity.

“The high level of steroids can blunt your immune system,” Tran says. Conversely, some research suggests that optimism can actually make our immune system work better. “I don’t know if it’s a direct cause,” Tran says, “but the happier, or more positive you are, the more likely you are to eat right and be less stressed, which will help your immune system.”

Autoimmune Diseases: When the Immune System Attacks Itself

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system destroys its own healthy tissues. In such cases, white blood cells in the body cannot distinguish between pathogens and the body’s normal cells, setting off a reaction that destroys healthy tissues.

While there are over 80 different types of autoimmune disorders, common ones include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease. Interestingly, women make up nearly 80 percent of those living with autoimmune diseases, though the cause is generally believed to have a strong genetic component.

The Importance of Sleep and Immunity

Not getting enough sleep can wreak havoc on the body, and the immune system is no exception. Studies show that a lack of sleep may make you more likely to catch a cold and also makes it more difficult to fight off infection.

How does sleep deprivation impact immunity? The high level of steroids caused by stress can blunt the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections.

10 Amazing Facts About Your Immune System

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infection and maintain overall health.

The human body is an optimal environment for pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites to thrive.  The immune system works to limit these microbes’ access to the body and prevent them from growing and causing illness.

While most people know the basic function of the immune system, there are many intricacies about your body’s natural defense system that you may not be aware of.

Here are 10 amazing facts about the immune system:

1. Each part of the immune system has a unique function.

“Think of the immune system like the military,” says Dat Tran, MD, an immunologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “There are different branches that each serve a unique function in protecting the body. ”

The first line of defense, Dr. Tran says, is the white blood cells, which are the first to recognize pathogens and fight off infection. Lymphocytes, a specific type of white blood cells, work to allow the body to remember the invading microbes to fight them faster in future infections.

Other parts of the immune system include the bone marrow, where white blood cells are produced; lymph nodes, which produce and store infection-fighting cells throughout the body; and the spleen, which helps control the amount of blood in the body and cleans out old or damaged blood cells from the body.

2. Vaccines play an important role in educating your immune system.

Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies against a foreign invader without actually infecting the individual with the disease. As a result, when the body encounters that infection in the future, it knows how to fight it off.

“Vaccines educate the immune system using a unique component of that pathogen so, upon exposure to that pathogen in the future, you have very minimal to no symptoms,” Tran says.

3. Every day, we encounter billions of germs, but they’re not all bad.

Though it may not be pleasant to think about, countless microbes live on and in our bodies, and they are actually necessary to maintain good health.

“Good bacteria in our body provides us with nutrients we need and also provides a defense against bad bacteria and infection,” Tran says. A balance needs to be maintained because when good bacteria is reduced, bad bacteria can take over, making us feel sick, he says.

4. Stress can affect the way your immune system works.

Stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone that is important for overall function of our body; but too much of it can lead to a number of health problems, including decreased immunity. “The high level of steroids can blunt your immune system,” Tran says.

5. Positive emotions and a healthy lifestyle may boost your immunity.

Some research suggests that optimism can actually make our immune system work better.   “I don’t know if it’s a direct cause,” Tran says, “but the happier, or more positive you are, the more likely you are to eat right and be less stressed, which will help your immune system.”

RELATED: Best Foods for a Healthy Immune System

6. Sleep deprivation can impact immunity.

Not getting enough sleep can wreak havoc on the body, and the immune system is no exception. Studies show that a lack of sleep may make you more likely to catch a cold and also makes it more difficult to fight off infection.

7. Allergies are the result of your immune system reacting to a false alarm.

When you experience an allergic reaction, your immune system is responding to a harmless allergen that it perceives as a threat. Symptoms of an allergic reaction, which can range from a runny nose to breaking out in hives to fainting, are a result of the body’s misguided attack.

8. Your immune system can attack itself.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system destroys its own healthy tissues. In such cases, white blood cells in the body cannot distinguish between pathogens and the body’s normal cells, setting off a reaction that destroys healthy tissues.

While there are over 80 different types of autoimmune disorders, common ones include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease.

9. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases affect about 8 percent of the population in the United States, making up the third most common category of disease after cancer and heart disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women make up nearly 80 percent of those living with autoimmune diseases. While the cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, it is generally believed to have a strong genetic component, and women in their child-bearing years are at the highest risk.

10. Being too clean can inhibit your immune system from functioning properly.

Cleaning and disinfecting may seem like the best way to avoid infection, but this is a case where there can be too much of a good thing.

“When you make your environment so clean, you minimize so many foreign pathogens that you actually minimize the development of the immune system,” Tran says. This is especially the case with young children, since if they’re not exposed to harmful microbes at all, their bodies won’t be able to develop the proper antibodies to fight them off.

Tran recommends his patients practice good hygiene but warns not to go overboard. “I tell them to live their lives normally,” he says. “If someone has a cold, definitely wash your hands around them and try to avoid direct contact. Clean normally, but don’t be obsessive about it. While trying to avoid foreign pathogens, you don’t want to unintentionally minimize the good bacteria in your environment.”

11 Surprising Facts About the Immune System

Surprise!

(Image credit: Luk Cox | Dreamstime)

The human immune system is our protector — its job is to defend the body against diseases and other damaging foreign bodies.

The system works by first identifying alien bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites lurking in the body, and then sends in its troops — white blood cells — to destroy the invaders and the tissues they infect.

Here are 11 surprising facts about the immune system.

Some people have little to no immune system

(Image credit: 3DScience.com)

The 1976 film, “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” depicts a person with a deficient immune system, who must live out his life in a completely sterile environment because his body is unable to fight infections. Though the story is fictional, the immune system disease — severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), or “bubble boy disease” — is very real, occurring in about 1 in every 100,000 births.

Bone marrow transplants from a matching sibling donor used to be the only treatment available for patients with SCID, but gene therapy has also recently proved promising.

People long believed fluid imbalances caused diseases

(Image credit: Red blood cells diagram via Shutterstock)

The germ theory of disease, which correctly states that microorganisms cause some diseases, gained prominence in the 19th century. Before germ theory, humorism (or humoralism) dominated Western medical thinking for some 2,000 years.

The discredited theory proposed that the human body is composed of four liquid substances, or humors: blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. A surplus or deficiency in one or more of these humors causes diseases and disabilities. Disease treatments — such as bloodletting — focused on attempting to restore fluid balance.

The earliest known reference to immunity goes back over two millennia

(Image credit: Dreamstime)

The first vaccine was developed in the late 18th century, but people recognized the importance of immunity long before that.

During the plague of Athens in 430 B.C., the Greeks realized that people who had previously survived smallpox didn’t contract the disease a second time. In fact, these survivors were often called upon to attend to those afflicted with smallpox, according to a 1998 article in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

In the 10th century, Chinese healers began blowing dried smallpox scabs into the noses of healthy patients, who then contracted a mild form of the disease — and the patients who recovered became immune to smallpox. This practice, which was called variolation or inoculation, spread to Europe and the New England in the 1700s.

Disease symptoms are sometimes the result of your immune system doing its job

(Image credit: nray | Dreamstime)

You often hear that bacteria, viruses and fungi are the cause of disease symptoms, but this is technically incorrect. Disease symptoms sometimes occur because your immune system is reacting to the microorganisms.

For example, take the common cold. Your immune system jumps into action when the rhinovirus invades the epithelial cells — cells that line the cavities in the body — in your upper respiratory tract. Immune system chemicals called histamines dilate your blood vessels and increase their permeability, allowing proteins and white blood cells to reach the infected epithelial tissues. However, the inflammation of the blood vessels in your nasal cavity causes nasal congestion.

Additionally, you may get a runny nose because of the increased fluid leakage from your permeable capillaries, combined with an increased mucus production triggered by the histamines.

Your immune system may suffer from lack of sleep

(Image credit: Sleep problems photo via Shutterstock)

A healthy immune system is vital to warding off colds, influenza and other ailments. But research over the past few decades consistently shows that sleep deprivation depresses the immune system’s disease-fighting abilities, such as by decreasing the proliferation of cells called T-cells. Even a single night of poor sleep can impair the immune system by reducing the number of natural killer cells.

What’s more, a 2012 study in the journal SLEEP suggested that vaccines may even be less effective for people who sleep less than six hours a night, compared with people who get a full night’s rest, possibly because the loss of sleep leads to a dampened immune system response.

Dairymaids helped spark the development of the first vaccine

(Image credit: Cow photo via Shutterstock)

In the 1700s, variolation had become standard practice in Western society. The technique did still sometimes kill people, but the fatality rate associated with variolation was 10 times lower than that associated with full-blown smallpox, according to a 2005 article in the journal Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings.

As the century wore on, tales had started to spread that dairymaids couldn’t get smallpox if they previously suffered from cowpox. Moreover, the fatality rate of cowpox was lower than that of variolation.

This information led English physician Edward Jenner to hypothesize that cowpox protects against smallpox, and that cowpox could be safely transmitted between people as a deliberate way to protect them against smallpox.

So in May 1796, Jenner pioneered the smallpox vaccine. He found a young dairymaid with fresh cowpox lesions on her hands and arms, took pus from the lesions and inoculated an 8-year-old boy. The child developed mild symptoms, including fever and loss of appetite, but he quickly recovered. A few months later, Jenner injected the boy with goo from a fresh smallpox lesion — the child developed no symptoms.

Autoimmune diseases affect mostly women

(Image credit: Worried woman image via Shutterstock )

An autoimmune disease is a disorder where the body’s natural defenses become hyperactive, attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign bodies. Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and psoriasis.

But the disorders don’t affect men and women equally, according to a 2008 article in the American Journal of Pathology. Approximately 5 to 8 percent of the U.S. population has an autoimmune disease — about 78 percent of these people are women.

Gut bacteria are the key to a healthy immune system

(Image credit: Dreamstime)

The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, which outnumber our own cells 10 to 1. In the gastrointestinal tract, these microbes are often beneficial, helping with digestion and synthesizing vitamins B and K. But research has also shown that our gut bacteria help our immune system and keep us healthy in various ways.

For example, the beneficial bacteria prevent pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria from taking root in our epithelial and mucosal tissues. And these commensal bacteria also train the immune system to better distinguish between disease-causing pathogens and harmless antigens, which may help prevent the development of allergies.

Similarly, the “good” bacteria may influence the immune system’s sensitivity to antigens, potentially helping to prevent autoimmune diseases, conditions in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.

The bacteria also produce useful antibodies and trigger the expression of intestinal proteins, which cause the immune system to repair internal injuries.

Sunlight has complex effects on the immune system

(Image credit: Valentina R. | shutterstock)

For decades, scientists have known that exposure to sunlight — specifically ultraviolet (UV) radiation — can suppress the immune system’s response to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. To suppress the human immune system, it takes UVR doses that are only 30 to 50 percent of what’s required to cause barely-detectable sunburn, according to a 2010 article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

At the same time, however, sunlight causes the body to produce vitamin D. A recent study in Nature Immunology suggested that T-cells don’t mobilize if they detect only small amounts of vitamin D in the bloodstream. Additionally, other research suggests vitamin D might induce the production of anti-microbial peptides in the skin — these compounds help defend the body against new infections.

White blood cells only make up a small percentage of your blood

(Image credit: Norman B, Shutterstock)

The immune system is constantly at work to protect you from diseases and fight infections you already have, so you might expect that the system’s soldiers — the white blood cells — would make up a large portion of your blood.

But this is not the case. White blood cells account for only 1 percent of the cells in the 5 liters of blood in an adult’s body.

But don’t worry, there are more than enough white blood cells to get the job done: In each microliter of blood, you have between 5,000 and 10,000 white blood cells.

Fun Facts About the Immune System

Our immune system, a network of organs, proteins and cells that works to defend our bodies against bad bacteria, viruses, and toxins, is to thank for maintaining our health day after day.ⁱ Simple as that may sound, our immune system is actually an extraordinarily complex network with features and functions that are not common knowledge! Read on for seven interesting facts about the immune system that may surprise you.

1. Our immune system remembers every microbe it has ever fought and defeated. This means that if a microbe enters the body for a second time, the immune system has a stored record that enables it to quickly recognize and fend off the microbe before it has the chance to infect you. ⁱⁱ

2. The immune system is made up of two different systems: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is a component that every person is born with and the adaptive immune system is a component that the body develops after being exposed to microbes and the chemicals released by microbes.ⁱⁱⁱ

3. Getting a fever means that your immune system is working. A rise in body temperature is a commune immune response that your immune system may deploy to kill certain microbes and trigger your body’s repair process.^iv

4. The immune system doesn’t have one centralized location in the body like the heart or the brain. Instead, the cells that make up the immune system are produced in organs throughout the body including the tonsils, lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow and adenoids.^v

5. Are you cursed with a runny nose and itchy eyes every spring? This next fun fact about the immune system might be to blame! Food allergies, allergic reactions to medications and stinging insects, anaphylaxis, hay fever, asthma, hives, dermatitis and eczema are all symptoms of immune system overactivity. ^vi

6. Our immune system also becomes weaker as we age, as immune system tissues begin to shrink and our white blood cell count and activity starts to decline.^vii  

If you enjoyed these fun facts about the immune system, be sure to visit the Emergen-C Newsroom for more wellness resources. Looking for supplements to help maintain your immune system? Emergen-C products contain a combination of selected vitamins and minerals to provide immune system support* and help keep you feeling your best. Give one of our Emergen-C Everyday Products or Emergen-C Immune+ Products a try.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

SOURCES

By clicking any of the links below you will be taken to an external website that is independently operated and not managed by GSK. GSK assumes no responsibility for the content on the website. If you do not wish to leave this website, do not click on the links below.

i. The Immune System. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system. Accessed 04/23/20.

ii. Immunity In Brief. Oregon State University. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/immunity-in-brief. Accessed 07/16/20.

iii. The Immune System. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system. Accessed 04/23/20.

iv. Fever. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/fever.html. Accessed 07/16/20.

v. The Immune System. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system. Accessed 04/23/20.

vi. Immune System Disorders. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content. aspx?ContentID=123&ContentTypeID=134. Accessed 07/16/20.

vii. Immunodeficiency disorders. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000818.htm. Accessed 07/16/20.

12 Fantastic Facts About the Immune System

If it weren’t for our immune system, none of us would live very long. Not only does the immune system protect us from external pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and parasites, but it also battles cells that have mutated due to illnesses, like cancer, within the body. Here are 12 fascinating facts about the immune system.

1. The immune system saves lives.

The immune system is a complex network of tissues and organs that spreads throughout the entire body. In a nutshell, it works like this: A series of “sensors” within the system detects an intruding pathogen, like bacteria or a virus. Then the sensors signal other parts of the system to kill the pathogen and eliminate the infection.

“The immune system is being bombarded by all sorts of microbes all the time,” Russell Vance, professor of immunology at University of California, Berkeley and an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, tells Mental Floss. “Yet, even though we’re not aware of it, it’s saving our lives every day, and doing a remarkably good job of it.”

2. Before scientists understood the immune system, illness was chalked up to unbalanced humors.

Long before physicians realized how invisible pathogens interacted with the body’s system for fighting them off, doctors diagnosed all ills of the body and the mind according to the balance of “four humors”: melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric, or sanguine. These criteria, devised by the Greek philosopher Hippocrates, were divided between the four elements, which were linked to bodily fluids (a.k.a. humors): earth (black bile), air (blood), water (phlegm) and fire (yellow bile), which also carried properties of cold, hot, moist, or dry. Through a combination of guesswork and observation, physicians would diagnose patients’ humors and prescribe treatment that most likely did little to support the immune system’s ability to resist infection.

3. Two men who unraveled the immune system’s functions were bitter rivals.

Two scientists who discovered key functions of the immune system, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, should have been able to see their work as complementary, but they wound up rivals. Pasteur, a French microbiologist, was famous for his experiments demonstrating the mechanism of vaccines using weakened versions of the microbes. Koch, a German physician, established four essential conditions under which pathogenic bacteria can infect hosts, and used them to identify the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium that causes tuberculosis. Though both helped establish the germ theory of disease—one of the foundations of modern medicine today—Pasteur and Koch’s feud may have been aggravated by nationalism, a language barrier, criticisms of each other’s work, and possibly a hint of jealousy.

4. Specialized blood cells are the immune system’s greatest weapon.

The most powerful weapons in your immune system’s arsenal are white blood cells, divided into two main types: lymphocytes, which create antigens for specific pathogens and kill them or escort them out of the body; and phagocytes, which ingest harmful bacteria. White blood cells not only attack foreign pathogens, but recognize these interlopers the next time they meet them and respond more quickly. Many of these immune cells are produced in your bone marrow but also in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus, and are stored in some of these tissues and other areas of the body. In the lymph nodes, which are located throughout your body but most noticeably in your armpits, throat, and groin, lymphatic fluid containing white blood cells flows through vein-like tubules to escort foreign invaders out.

5. The spleen helps your immune system work.

Though you can live without the spleen, an organ that lies between stomach and diaphragm, it’s better to hang onto it for your immune function. According to Adriana Medina, a doctor who specializes in hematology and oncology at the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, your spleen is “one big lymph node” that makes new white blood cells and cleans out old blood cells from the body.

It’s also a place where immune cells congregate. “Because the immune cells are spread out through the body,” Vance says, “eventually they need to communicate with each other.” They do so in both the spleen and lymph nodes.

6. You have immune cells in all of your tissues.

While immune cells may congregate more in lymph nodes than elsewhere, “every tissue in your body has immune cells stationed in it or circulating through it, constantly roving for signs of attack,” Vance explains. These cells also circulate through the blood. The reason for their widespread presence is that there are thousands of different pathogens that might infect us, from bacteria to viruses to parasites. “To eliminate each of those different kinds of threats requires specialized detectors,” he says.

7. How friendly you’re feeling could be linked to your immune system.

From an evolutionary perspective, humans’ high sociability may have less to do with our bigger brains, and more to do with our immune system’s exposure to a greater number of bacteria and other pathogens.

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have theorized that interferon gamma (IG), a substance that helps the immune system fight invaders, was linked to social behavior, which is one of the ways we become exposed to pathogens.

In mice, they found IG acted as a kind of brake to the brain’s prefrontal cortex, essentially stopping aberrant hyperactivity that can cause negative changes in social behavior. When they blocked the IG molecule, the mice’s prefrontal cortexes became hyperactive, resulting in less sociability. When they restored the function, the mice’s brains returned to normal, as did their social behavior.

8. Your immune system might recruit unlikely organs, like the appendix, into service.

The appendix gets a bad rap as a vestigial organ that does nothing but occasionally go septic and create a need for immediate surgery. But the appendix may help keep your gut in good shape. According to Gabrielle Belz, professor of molecular immunology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, research by Duke University’s Randal Bollinger and Bill Parker suggests the appendix houses symbiotic bacteria that are important for overall gut health—especially after infections wipe out the gut’s good microbes. Special immune cells known as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the appendix may help to repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria and put the gut back on track to recovery.

9. Gut bacteria has been shown to boost immune systems in mice.

Researchers at the University of Chicago noticed that one group of mice in their lab had a stronger response to a cancer treatment than other mice. They eventually traced the reason to a strain of bacteria—Bifidobacterium—in the mice’s guts that boosted the animals’ immune system to such a degree they could compare it to anti-cancer drugs called checkpoint inhibitors, which keep the immune system from overreacting.

To test their theory, they transferred fecal matter from the robust mice to the stomachs of less immune-strengthened mice, with positive results: The treated mice mounted stronger immune responses and tumor growth slowed. When they compared the bacterial transfer effects with the effects of a checkpoint inhibitor drug, they found that the bacteria treatment was just as effective. The researchers believe that, with further study, the same effect could be seen in human cancer patients.

10. Scientists are trying to harness the immune system’s “Pac-Man” cells to treat cancer.

Aggressive pediatric tumors are difficult to treat due to the toxicity of chemotherapy, but some researchers are hoping to develop effective treatments without the harmful side effects. Stanford researchers designed a study around a recently discovered molecule known as CD47, a protein expressed on the surface of all cells, and how it interacts with macrophages, white blood cells that kill abnormal cells. “Think of the macrophages as the Pac-Man of the immune system,” Samuel Cheshier, lead study author and assistant professor of neurosurgery at Stanford Medicine, tells Mental Floss.

CD47 sends the immune system’s macrophages a “don’t eat me” signal. Cancer cells fool the immune system into not destroying them by secreting high amounts of CD47. When Cheshier and his team blocked the CD47 signals on cancer cells, the macrophages could identify the cancer cells and eat them, without toxic side effects to healthy cells. The treatment successfully shrank all five of the common pediatric tumors, without the nasty side effects of chemotherapy.

11. A new therapy for type 1 diabetes tricks the immune system.

In those with type 1 diabetes, the body attacks its own pancreatic cells, interrupting its normal ability to produce insulin in response to glucose. In a 2016 paper, researchers at MIT, in collaboration with Boston’s Children’s Hospital, successfully designed a new material that allows them to encapsulate and transplant healthy pancreatic “islet” cells into diabetic mice without triggering an immune response. Made from seaweed, the substance is benign enough that the body doesn’t react to it, and porous enough to allow the islet cells to be placed in the abdomen of mice, where they restore the pancreatic function. Senior author Daniel Anderson, an associate professor at MIT, said in a statement that this approach “has the potential to provide [human] diabetics with a new pancreas that is protected from the immune system, which would allow them to control their blood sugar without taking drugs. That’s the dream.”

12. Immunotherapy is on the cutting edge of immune system research.

Over the last few years, research in the field of immunology has focused on developing cancer treatments using immunotherapy. This method engineers the patient’s own normal cells to attack the cancer cells. Vance says the technique could be used for many more conditions. “I feel like that could be just the tip of the iceberg,” he says. “If we can understand better what the cancer and immunotherapy is showing, maybe we can go in there and manipulate the immune responses and get good outcomes for other diseases, too.”

44 Immune System Facts & Stats for Supreme Resilience

Most people are not very familiar with the functions of the immune system. However, ever since insects evolved, there has been some form of immunity that has a flexible response to various infectious agents and other environmental irritants. 

In this article, you will learn some immune system facts related to both parts of immunity — innate and acquired (adaptive) — which interact together and exchange information continuously to keep us protected.  

Furthermore, we displayed for you the most relevant statistics on the common immunity-related diseases, and, to fresh it up, we punched in with some seriously fun facts about the immune system.

The Top 10 Immune System Statistics

• Humans have between 4,500 and 11,000 white blood cells in each microliter of blood
• Hundreds of millions of different B cells circulate in the body
• Cytotoxic immune cells are involved in both anti-infectious and anti-tumor immunity
• Dendritic cells are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells
• There are about 600 lymph nodes in the body
• Disease symptoms may represent the immune system doing its job, according to immune system statistics
• Asthma affects over 330 million people globally
• May 10 is regarded as World Lupus Day
• Antibodies from one person can be used to stimulate the immune system of another
• Fever is a positive indication that the immune system is active

Now that you have read some of the facts and stats cherry-picked from the article, it’s time to dig deeper. Below you’ll find a ton of useful information regarding the immune system and more stats and facts to expand your knowledge. Enjoy! 

Facts About the Immune System and its Cells 

Ever wondered why you feel feverish today, and you are kicking and moving around the following day? It’s the fantastic cells of your body’s immune system. These cells work their heads off to make sure you are always on the go! These cells form the military base of the body. 

Each day, you get exposed to millions of bacteria and offending foreign agents, and you don’t notice because your body’s immune cells are doing a great job. So you should be asking, what is the immune system? Let’s check out some immune system facts.

1. Humans have between 4,500 and 11,000 white blood cells in each microliter of blood.

(Cleveland Clinic)

The average number of white blood cells — which are mainly immune cells — depends on age and sex. However, the number of these cells can be lowered or elevated as a result of various diseases, making the complete blood count testing a routine investigation.  

2. Most of the immune cells reside in tissues and not in the blood.

(Nature)

Besides the central immune organs such as the thymus and bone marrow (where the immune cells come from and become immunocompetent), most of the immune cells are widespread in the peripheral immune system parts. These include lymph nodes, spleen, liver, mucosa of digestive and respiratory systems, skin, etc.  Consequently, they can detect, react, and eliminate every pathogen that they encounter, ensuring a robust immune system defense.

3. About 98% of thymocytes die in the thymus during a process called negative selection.

(NCBI)

The majority of future T lymphocytes, or the so-called thymocytes, fail during the development processes and die. Only the remaining 2% survive and leave the thymus as T cells, which can become immunocompetent. This is undoubtedly one of the most interesting facts about the immune system.

4. Hundreds of millions of different B cells circulate in the body.  

(NCBI)

The reason for this seemingly large number is the biological requirement of our body to recognize every single pathogen. Each B cell produces a unique antibody that is specific to a particular unknown or dangerous molecule.

5. The immune system is broadly divided into the innate and the adaptive immune system.

(PubMed Central)

The immune system can be seen as a collection of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to prevent foreign agents from harming body organs. However, articles on immune system definition have shown that there is no universal definition. 

These two divisions of the immune system use self to non-self discrimination to fight off pathogens. Together, they provide the best defense against offending agents. 

6. Cytotoxic immune cells are involved in both anti-infectious and anti-tumor immunity.

(Science Direct)

These cells are cytotoxic immune cells and natural killer cells (NK cells), representing specific and nonspecific immunity, respectively. By killing virus-infected or tumor-host cells, they seek to limit the complications of pathological processes.

7. The innate immune system provides the first point of defense against offending agents.

(Healio)

The innate immune system is like the local police and is always available and ready to respond to foreign invaders in the body. This is one of the fun innate immunity facts .

The cells of the innate immune system function via three major processes: recognition of the offending agents, activation of defense mechanisms, and subsequently, elimination of the offending agents. 

8. There are several cells that constitute innate immunity.

(BioMed Central) 

These cells include epithelial cells, neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic  cells, natural  killer  (NK) cells, and the complement  system of proteins 

Epithelial cells generally form the lining of many organs. They also secrete immunological molecules such as defensins to aid in warding off offending agents.  

Immune system facts reveal that the dendritic cells serve as antigen-presenting cells and deliver antigens to T-lymphocytes. 

Neutrophils and macrophages act as phagocytes, natural killer cells are especially helpful in fighting against viral agents, and the complement proteins act as phagocytic agents and opsonins.  

9. The adaptive immune system provides a more specialized and specific form of immunity.

(NCBI)

Offending agents and bacteria cannot differentiate between specific vs nonspecific immunity and are usually caught aback when they encounter the adaptive immune cells. 

The immune system can be divided into two major groups: humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity. 

Humoral immunity consists chiefly of B lymphocytes and is responsible for protecting the body from extracellular microbes (bacteria). 

Cell-mediated immunity comprises chiefly T lymphocytes and is responsible for protecting the body against intracellular microbes (viruses). This is one of the essential adaptive immune system facts.

10. The only cells in the body with the ability to produce antibodies are the B lymphocytes.

(Chemocare)

B lymphocytes develop and mature in the bone marrow (unlike T cells that mature in the thymus) and are eventually sent to the peripheral circulation.

These lymphocytes in the peripheral circulation, when activated, change from their inactive form into active plasma cells, releasing antibodies. 

11. Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules are expressed on all cells with a nucleus.

(MDPI)

The MHC molecules function to display antigens so they can be recognized by antigen-presenting cells. The human MHC molecules are called human leukocyte antigens.   

One of the interesting adaptive immune system facts is that the Class I MHC molecules are encoded by three genes: HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C and are recognized by cytotoxic T cells. 

12. Class II MHC molecules are expressed on cells that present phagocytosed antigens.

(British Society for Immunology)

Class II MHC molecules have a binding site for the helper T cells, making it possible for the CD4 cells to recognize the antigens presented by the Class II MHCs. 

The Class II MHC molecules are encoded in the HLA-D region comprising three subregions: HLA-DP, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DR. 

13. Dendritic cells are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells.

(British Society for Immunology)

This is one of the innate immunity facts that are worth knowing. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are immune system cells, which, as the name implies, are responsible for presenting antigens to T cells. 

The antigen-presenting cells present these antigens via the help of the MHCs. It is these MHCs that the T cells first recognize and can respond to the antigens. As a result, the T cells are said to be MHC restricted. The cytotoxic T cells are Class I MHC restricted, and the helper T cells are Class II MHC restricted.

Facts About Immune System Organs

The immune system comprises organs, tissues, and cells that work in a highly coordinated manner to eliminate offending agents. 

The following facts will enlighten you on the organs that make up the immune system.

14. The lymph node is the principal meeting place of the immune system and antigens. 

(NCBI)

Independently from where the pathogen enters the body, usually, it’s delivered to the regional lymph nodes, where T and B lymphocytes reside, waiting for danger signals.

15. You can live without the spleen.

(NHS)

Situated just above the stomach in the left hypogastric region, between the 9th to 12th ribs, the spleen is a major immune system organ that plays a significant role in taking care of blood-borne antigens. However, immune system 2020 facts reveal that you can survive without the spleen because the liver can take over the main immunologic functions of the spleen.

Nevertheless, if you are without a spleen, you can be prone to infections by encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. The spleen is the principal organ for handling encapsulated bacteria, and when the spleen is removed, the liver cannot take over this function.

16. The T and B lymphocytes have a particular pattern of arrangement within the peripheral lymphoid organs.

(NCBI)

In the lymph node, the B lymphocytes are located in the follicles (but migrate to the germinal center when activated), and the T lymphocytes are located adjacent to the follicles, within the paracortex. 

In the spleen, the B lymphocytes are also located within the follicles, but the T lymphocytes are concentrated within periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths. 

17. There are about 600 lymph nodes in the body.

(Medical News Today)

These lymph nodes are responsible for filtering lymph from the circulation to eliminate microbes and toxins. Immune system statistics in 2021 show that as lymph circulates through the lymph nodes, these bean-shaped organs can mop up microbial antigens presented to them by antigen-presenting cells.

18. The thymus shrinks by about 3% yearly throughout middle age.

(NCBI)

In the process called involution, the thymus is replaced with fat tissues after puberty. This is one of the most interesting thymus facts, showing that in older people, the expansion and regeneration of T cells play a role more significant than their production.

19. The spleen provides crucial support in antigen presentation to the immune cells.

(NCBI)

Besides its other roles in the function of the immune system, important facts reveal that the spleen also aids hematopoiesis and red blood cell clearance, thus regulating the T and B cell response. 

Although you can live without a spleen, it was shown that surgical splenectomy due to trauma or diseases leads to severe dysregulation in immune functions to pathogens.

Since the immune responses to encapsulated bacteria are the most altered, splenectomized people are more prone to meningitis and sepsis. People who don’t have a spleen should take additional conjugated vaccines against specific pathogens.

20. The organs of the lymphoid system are divided into primary and secondary lymphoid organs.

(University of Leeds: The Histology Guide)

The primary lymphoid organ comprises the thymus and the bone marrow. The thymus is the site where the T cells mature, and the bone marrow is the site of production of both the T cells and B cells both only the B cells mature there. 

The secondary lymphoid organ comprises lymph nodes, the spleen, and the cutaneous and mucosal lymphoid tissues. 

Statistics on Immune System Diseases

Diseases occure as a result of the body’s inability to cope with stressors or offending agents. When the immune system loses its efficacy, the body becomes prone to several diseases. However, an increased immunologic reaction which is more than normal can also lead to diseases. 

Thus, immune system diseases can be due to a decline in the function of the immune system or an overreaction of the immune system. 

The following facts about immunity will give you a detailed insight into immune system diseases.

21. Hypersensitivity reactions are due to an abnormal response of the immune system to an antigen.

(Amboss)

There are four types of hypersensitivity reactions. Statistics reveal that these types explain the distinction in the pathogenesis of the mechanism behind how the immune response causes tissue damage. 

Type I hypersensitivity reactions are typically allergic reactions and are due to the over-reaction of Th3 cells and IgE antibodies. Type II hypersensitivity reactions are antibody-mediated and are due to the over-reaction of IgG and IgM antibodies. Type III hypersensitivity reactions are due to immune complexes, and Type IV hypersensitivity reactions are cell-mediated and are due to the over-reaction of Th2 and Th27 cells.  

22. Asthma is a type I hypersensitivity reaction and affects over 330 million people globally.

(Medscape, WHO)

Immune system statistics in 2021 reveal that asthma occurs when the body responds abnormally to exogenous substances called allergens. 

These allergens are naturally occurring in the environment and will not cause a response in normal individuals. 

However, asthmatic individuals respond abnormally to these substances. Their antigen-presenting cells see these substances as harmful and activate the Th3 cells, which then secrete IgE that causes mast cell destabilization and release of histamines. 

The histamines cause bronchoconstriction seen in asthmatic patients.

23. Autoimmune disorders affect about 5% of the United States population.

(National Stem Cell Foundation)

Autoimmune disorders is the third most common autoimmune disorder in the US. It occurs as a result of an immunologic reaction against self-antigens. What this means is that the body begins to attack its organs. 

According to Important facts about the Immune system, autoimmune diseases occur due to a failure of immunologic tolerance. Immunologic tolerance is needed to eliminate self-reactive T cells from circulation. 

24. May 10 is regarded as World Lupus Day.

(World Lupus Day)

Lupus is an umbrella term for systemic autoimmune reactions, principally affecting the skin, joints, and blood vessels. 

Since 2004, lupus organizations worldwide have considered May 10 to raise awareness for Lupus and carry out activities that seek to educate the public about Lupus. 

The aim is to make Lupus a global health priority and give individuals with Lupus a reason to smile, knowing that they can be treated effectively.  

25. Systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common Lupus disease.

(Lupus Foundation of America)

According to immunity facts, about 70% of all diagnoses of Lupus cases are systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is an autoimmune reaction caused by an abnormal immunologic response to nuclear antigens.

Though there are the diagnostic criteria for SLE, most individuals with this disease have a classical malar rash on the face, described as a butterfly rash. The pathogenesis is relatively complex and not well understood. 

26. Rheumatoid arthritis, unlike osteoarthritis, is an immune-mediated condition.

(UMHS)

Arthritis is simply the inflammation of joints. Differentiating between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis has been a really difficult task for patients with this condition for many years now. Some say, “I have arthritis.” 

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune reaction caused by an abnormal response of T cells to citrullinated peptides (found in the joints), while osteoarthritis is due to degeneration of the articular cartilage of the joints. 

Immune system facts in 2021 reveal that the clinical presentation of these two major arthritis disorders differs. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to cause pain that is relieved with activity, and the opposite is the case for osteoarthritis.

27. Autoimmune diseases tend to run in families with members of an extended family having more than one autoimmune disease.

(National Stem Cell Foundation)

Autoimmune diseases have a strong genetic link. The most implicated genes are the HLA genes, especially the HLA-D genes. There are also other non-HLA genes implicated in autoimmune diseases.

28. Disease symptoms may represent the immune system doing its job.

(NCBI)

Signs such as fever and inflammation can be seen in several diseases. They are part of the normal physiology of the immune system and are usually good signs. However, the cytokine storm or the release of a vast quantity of immune mediators, which can also be a part of the inappropriate immune response, denotes a bad prognosis due to many complications, including multiorgan failure and death.

29. Autoimmune diseases are more common in women.

(NCBI)

The immune system facts unconditionally showed that women are more prone to the development of an autoimmune disease, probably due to hormonal factors. The female to male ratio is 10:1 for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, 9:1 for systemic lupus erythematosus, 9:1 for primary biliary cirrhosis, 2.5:1 for rheumatoid arthritis, 2:1 for multiple sclerosis, etc.

30. Allergies are an example of an overreaction of the immune system to harmless antigens.

(AAAAI)

The allergic reaction is a nonspecific response to a specific molecule, such as pollen or dander, which leads to the release of histamine and other mediators. They are associated with unpleasant allergy symptoms that vary from mild, such as sneezing, to severe ones, including death. 

31. Оne in every 500 individuals is affected by a primary immunodeficiency.

(JMF)

According to the current immune system information, there are over 400 different primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). They can be diagnosed at any age, from early childhood to adulthood. The clinical manifestation of PIDs could be followed by recurrent, severe, unusual, or difficult-to-treat infections. It‘s important to remember that PID patients are at risk of other complications, including the occurrence of autoimmunity and malignancies.

32. Sleep deprivation, lack of physical activity, and stress can weaken the immune system.

(Sleep Foundation)

All of these factors are proven to deteriorate immune functions by different mechanisms. Moreover, chronic insomnia can influence the decline in white and red blood cell production.

Fun Facts About the Immune System

Did you know that in ancient times it was thought that the immune system never existed? The immune system has got its share of some hilarious stories behind it.

Relax and enjoy these interesting facts.

33. Fever is a positive indication that the immune system is active.

(Medicalnewstoday)

This may sound counterintuitive, but immune system important facts show that a fever is a sign that your immune cells are still in the mood. 

Fever is a major sign of inflammation, and do you know what inflammation is? Inflammation is the response of living tissues to offending agents. And, of course, the cells involved here are your immune cells.

34. Stress has a negative effect on the immune system.

(The Physiology Society)

Do you know what happens when you’re stressed? Your adrenal cortex releases cortisol. Cortisol is called the stress hormone because it prepares your body for periods of stress via various metabolic processes. It increases glucose and amino acid concentration in the blood. 

However, immune system facts for 2020 have revealed that cortisol is an immunosuppressant and can decrease the immune system’s efficacy. That is why individuals on long-term corticosteroid therapy are monitored for any incidence of infection.

35. Antibodies from one person can be used to stimulate the immune system of another.

(Healthline)

Heard about passive immunization? Here, individuals are injected with already formed antibodies from another individual. This is usually done when the recipient’s immune system is too weak to produce its antibodies. 

36. The body’s active immunity is stimulated by the presence of a pathogen.

(CDC)

Ever wondered what was in the vaccines that you get injected with? Immune system statistics in 2021  reveal that most of them contain pathogens that can be potentially harmful. However, they are injected in small quantities that are incapable of causing harm.

The immune system recognizes these pathogens and produces antibodies against them. This is the basis of active immunity.

37. The immune system can be trained.

(Nature)

The immune cells have been training since their nascence, first in the thymus, and then in the circulation and tissues by encountering different pathogens. However, vaccines are also a way to train immune cells by avoiding complications arising from a real infection.

38. Being too clean can increase your risk of getting an autoimmune or allergic disease.

(NCBI)

According to the “hygiene hypothesis,” although washing and disinfecting hands is the best way to avoid infection, this may increase the incidence of autoimmune and allergic diseases, according to the immune system statistics and pathogens-associated infection reports. This is especially valid for Western countries, where minimizing the meeting of some pathogens leads to the development of immune diseases.

39. Laughter helps our immune system to manage stress.

(Mayo Clinic)

Twenty minutes of laughing a day lead to the release of dopamine and other hormones, which make us feel better, decrease stress and help the immune system work properly. In such a way, laughter can be considered a non-specific defense mechanism.

40. How friendly and extroverted you are may depend on your immune system.

(Nature)

One of the most interesting immunity facts comes from a scientific study that shows that the immune system could play a role in controlling social behavior through the interferon-gamma (IFNγ) cytokine. 

From an evolutionary perspective, the immune system may be activated to protect us from infections during socialization. This molecule can also be the link between immunity and neurological and psychiatric disorders, including autism.

41. As we get older, the immune system ages too. 

(NCBI)

The immune functions decline with aging, including dysfunction in the chemical barriers of innate immunity, adaptive immune cell activation, etc. This phenomenon explains why secondary immune deficiencies or autoimmune diseases may occur in older people.

How Food Impacts the Immune System Physiology

Ever heard of the statement, “You are what you eat”? This also applies to the immune system. A diet fortified with fruits and vegetables will surely make your immune cells smile, but a diet of junk will only mean trouble for your immune cells.

Wondering how to boost your immune system? Then eat well. 

The following facts will enlighten you on how food affects the immune system.

42. Vitamin D is a hormone that modulates immune functions.

(NCBI)

Since deficiency and insufficiency in vitamin D are associated with susceptibility to infections,  autoimmunity, or other problems, getting sufficient amounts of vitamin D through food and supplements can boost the immune system. It can also prevent many other complications associated with bone homeostasis. 

43. A healthy diet with sufficient quantities of protein supports humoral immunity.

(WebMD)

A balanced diet is essential for well-being and maintaining a healthy immune system. Getting enough protein will help you fight off infections, particularly through the proper production of antibodies. The scientific facts about the immune system confirm that poor nutrition and some diets may lead to immune dysfunction that can alter humoral immunity, including a lack of flu-shot antibodies or other antibodies after vaccination.

44. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for cell-mediated immunity.

(NCBI)

Many conditions, such as growth retardation, cognitive impairment, and immune dysfunctions, are attributed to zinc deficiency; thus, it makes sense to supplement it in the case of lower levels in the body. Some of the best foods to boost the immune system by increasing zinc consumption are meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts, dairy products, eggs, and whole grains.

FAQs

Why is the immune system important?

The immune system provides all the protective mechanisms needed to fight off infections or other dangerous agents. It helps us clear the dead microorganisms after treatment, toxins, etc. Without the immune system, we wouldn’t be able to survive, not only because of the pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.) around us but also because the immune system is involved in the protection of tumor cells.

How does the immune system work?

The immune system works on many levels and through different mechanisms. First, the antigen is welcomed by the innate cells, which are responsible for the initial immune response and presentation to lymphocytes. T and B cells then recognize the antigen and activate, leading to the creation of specific immunity and the production of antibodies. Some of the activated T and B cells remain as memory cells, ready for rapid activation upon re-encounter with the same antigen.

Do flu shots weaken the immune system?

No, neither flu shots nor other vaccines weaken your immune system. The principle of vaccinations is to prepare the immune system for the possible encounter with pathogens. A real infection (flu, morbilli) leads to an immune system that could be weak for months. Furthermore, vaccinated people may also get the flu, but the infection is milder. 

Conclusion

Regardless of the disadvantages of the immune system, such as being extremely energetically expensive or needing to be tuned to avoid the overreaction and development of immune-mediated conditions, the protection that it ensures is necessary to sustain life. The immune system facts can help us realize the essential role of our immune system in safeguarding our body. 

Sources:

Immune System Facts – Human Body

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The immune system protects your body from pathogens that make you sick like viruses, parasites, and bacteria.

The immune system is made up of cells, organs, and tissues that team up to fight against these invaders.

Your body is exposed to millions of germs every day, and the immune system is the reason they don’t always make you sick.

When germs do make you sick, your immune system works to fight off the infection.

Your body then remembers how to fight the infection if the same germ attacks your body again.

The older you get, the more germs your body becomes protected against. This is called immunity.

White Blood Cells

White blood cells, also called leukocytes, are germ-fighting cells.

There are two types: phagocytes and lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes are divided into B cells, which grow in the bone marrow, and T cells, which grow in the thymus. B cells create antibodies that fight against specific types of germs.

T cells kill off germs by also killing off the healthy body cells that are affected.

T cells also release messengers that send signals to other cells about the invader, kind of like a police officer calling for backup.

Phagocytes attack and kill off germs without destroying body cells. Both lymphocytes and phagocytes patrol the body looking for germs to fight.

When they do find germs, these germ-fighting cells begin multiplying, and T cells send messages to other cells to do the same.

Soon, your body has a whole army fighting against the germs that can make you sick.

Problems with the Immune System

Sometimes, people have problems with the immune system that keep it from working properly.

For example, allergies happen when the immune system overreacts and thinks something harmless, like peanuts or eggs, is dangerous for your body.

Some conditions, like juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, confuse the immune system and cause it to fight good cells instead of germs.

How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy

Your immune system fights for you without any help, but there are steps you can take to make your immune system’s job easier.

Wash your hands regularly, eat healthy food, stay active, and get plenty of rest.

Sunlight can also help your immune system, and it’s important not to experience too much stress.

Fun Facts About the Immune System

80% of your immune system’s activity happens in the intestines.

The cells in your body are marked with a system called Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA).

Your immune system recognizes these markings and understands that these are your cells and shouldn’t be attacked.

Vaccines introduce viruses that have already been killed or modified into the body.

Your body doesn’t know this, though, so it attacks.

Later, if you ever get the real disease, your body is more prepared to destroy it.

Your skin is your body’s first line of defense.

It has special cells that can warn the body about incoming germs, plus glands that can kill some bacteria.

Your saliva (spit) and the tears in your eyes also have special chemicals that can break down many viruses and bacteria.

Mucus in your nose, throat, and lungs traps bacteria as well, and the acid in your stomach kills most germs. Your body works hard to keep you healthy and safe!

Human body

Fantastic Facts about your Incredible Immune System

Our immune system is what keeps us alive. It’s our personal bodyguard against diseases and other hostile pathogens. It’s a complex system of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infection and maintain overall health.

Currently there is a lot of talk about “boosting your immune system”. Unfortunately the magic cure or secret formula is something we already know, eat healthy, get enough sleep, don’t stress and exercise. 

So instead we present 10 amazing facts about this fascinating world of alien invaders, white knight blood cells, and microscopic wars that will blow your mind and hopefully heal your gut!

1/ The human gut contains about 80% of the immune system
Your immune system is found throughout most of your body but concentrated in and around your gut in the “gut-associated lymphoid tissue”, better know as GALT. It may sound strange at first, but when you think about how much food passes through your digestive system – and that food carries microbes, potential allergens, and toxins into the body – it makes sense that your immune system would be concentrated in your gut.
 
 
The immune system in your gut is hard at work identifying those substances and organisms that must not enter the body so that nutrients can be absorbed and good bacteria can set up shop in your gut to keep you healthy. 
 
2/ Bacteria in our body weigh as much as our 3kg brain.
Though it may not be pleasant to think about, trillions of microbes live on and in our bodies. There are actually more bacteria cells in our body than we have human cells. Luckily most of them are good and we actually need them to maintain good health. Good bacteria in our gut provide us with the nutrients we need, and also create a defense against bad bacteria, infection and sickness. That’s why it’s important to support your gut bacterial balance by replenishing the good bacteria. Fuel your body with wholesome unprocessed living foods. Let food be thy medicine, as one great man once said.
 
3/ Only 1% of your blood are white blood cells
The most powerful weapons in your immune system’s arsenal are white blood cells. They are constantly at work to protect you from diseases and infections. White blood cells only account for 1 percent of the cells in the 5 liter of blood in an adult’s body. But don’t worry, there are more than enough white blood cells to get the job done. In each microliter of blood, you have between 5,000 and 10,000 white blood cells, every one of them ready to kick some bad bacteria butt!   
 
4/ Fever is a good thing
A fever means your immune system is working. When your immune system encounters a viral or bacterial infection that requires a strong immune response, it may need to raise your body temperature to effectively eliminate the organism, which has a difficult time surviving at higher temperatures. So if your first response to a fever is to take fever-reducing medication, you may not actually be helping fight your illness. If you can, just accept the fever and help your immune system work as it is designed. Next time you have a fever, better appreciate that extra heat!
 
 
5/ 80% of people with autoimmune diseases are women
An autoimmune disease is a disorder where the body’s natural defenses become hyperactive, attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign bodies. Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and psoriasis. But the disorders don’t affect men and women equally. Approximately 5 to 8 percent of the population has an autoimmune disease, about 78 percent of these people are women. This higher prevalence is partly attributable to the X chromosome, which has many genes relating to the immune system. It is advantageous for women to have two X chromosomes, because women are less susceptible to infectious diseases than men but the price is a greater tendency to develop autoimmunity.
 
6/ 7 hours of sleep is a minimum
Research shows that a lack of sleep results in a decreased number of white blood cells. Even a single night of poor sleep can impair the immune system by reducing the number of natural killer cells.
Most adults need a minimum of 7 to 9 hours quality sleep per night. This number is even higher for children. The longest recorded time without sleep is approximately 264 hours, or just over 11 consecutive days. After only three or four nights without sleep, you can start to hallucinate.
 
 
The amount of hours you spend in bed is not the same as the amount of time you sleep. Most people don’t fall asleep immediately and some wake up frequently during the night. 
So the next time you want to binge watch the newest “Tiger King” deep into the night, remember that your white blood cells will also be tired in the morning… 
 
7/ Being a sourpuss is bad for you
Stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol. Cortisol is an important steroid hormone but too much of it can lead to a number of health problems, including decreased immunity.
 
 
One of the best ways to get rid of stress is by laughter. Chemical stimulants such as dopamine are released during laughter. They stimulate the immune system and drive the white blood cells to fight infections.  Dopamine also makes you feel joyful and happy. The happier, or more positive you are, the more likely you are going to eat right, exercise more and sleep better. All of it leading to a stronger immune system. Now smile like you mean it, it’s good for you! 
 
8/ White blood cells like to work out
To be immunologically fit, you need to be physically fit. White blood cells can become lazy. Exercise mobilises them by increasing your blood flow, so they can do their surveillance jobs better and seek and destroy in other parts of the body. Experts recommend a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes per week. 
More than 70 percent of intensive care patients that are hospitalized because of corona are overweight (BMI over 25). Being overweight makes breathing difficult, it causes abnormal sugar values and higher blood pressure.
What are you waiting for, jump on that bike and ride your butt off to the vegetable store. 
 
9/ Double down on Vitamin D
Vitamin D keeps the immune system healthy by regulating the white blood cells. If there is too much stimulation, autoimmune diseases can set in. If there is not enough immune system activity, frequent infections can occur. It appears that vitamin D helps keep the immune system balanced much like a gymnast walking on a balance beam.  
 
 
Your body makes it from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency is very common. It’s estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide have low levels of the vitamin in their blood. Another great reason to spend more time in your backyard and less time behind a screen.
 
10/ Eating too healthy can be unhealthy
Feeding your body certain foods may help keep your immune system strong. There are countless lists of immunity boosting superfoods online. Chocolate, garlic, walnut, broccoli, citrus, ginger, kombucha… you name it. But for some people eating healthy is such an obsession that it actually becomes a disorder, namely orthorexia. 
Orthorexia is an eating disorder that involves an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. Unlike other eating disorders, orthorexia mostly revolves around food quality, not quantity. People with orthorexia have an extreme fixation with the “purity” of their foods, as well as an obsession with the benefits of healthy eating. This in turn generates harmful stress. 
 
 
Just like everything else in life, balance is key here. We like our Yugen a day. But when the weekend approaches, we might just mix it up into a delicious cocktail. 
To life! 
 
 90,000 7 facts about immunity – tv.ua
 April 9, 2019 15:30
 Alexander Kiva
 
 We tend to explain a variety of ailments by disorders of immunity.
 Read also Equivalent harm to health! How to measure a bottle of wine in cigarettes?
 This is partly true. But how many people know exactly what the immune status is, how immunity affects pregnancy and whether the immunomodulators that are sold in the pharmacy are effective?
 Fact # 1: Immunity protects not only from “foreign” cells, but also from “own” ones.
 The immune system is capable of calculating “uninvited guests” at the genetic level. As soon as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi or foreign tissues (transplanted organs) enter the body, it begins to attack them. Recognition of “friend or foe” is possible due to the presence on the surface of each cell of receptors from which the immune system reads information. If a cell of our body has mutated, behaves aggressively or simply aged and does not fulfill its function, then its receptor changes or disappears from the surface.Immunity understands: something is wrong. And either it absorbs it (this is called phagocytosis), or starts the process of self-destruction in it (apoptosis). So the immune system protects us every day not only from foreign infections, but also from oncology and autoimmune pathologies.
 Fact number 2: lack of sleep reduces immunity 
 Read alsoFamous nutritionist told how to fast correctly and not harm your health
 The functioning of the immune system directly depends on the “sleep-wake” regime. Scientists from different countries have proven that the formation of immune defense cells occurs in the bone marrow during sleep.Moreover, it is the night’s sleep that is important – the renewal occurs during this period. If it is not enough, the “factory” fails. Keep in mind that even one night of sleep deprivation can negatively affect immunity!
 Fact number 3: immunity is directly related to the work of the gastrointestinal tract 
 There are several reasons for this. First, there are many lymphoid tissues in our gut that contain immune cells. Secondly, it is covered with a mucous membrane – immune cells actively interact with it.Thirdly, there are many microorganisms in the intestines, both useful and not very good. The balance of all this flora has a serious impact on immunity. When the smooth functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, it becomes the cause of allergies and other immunopathologies.
 Fact number 4: Pregnancy is possible thanks to immunity 
 Actually, the fetus is a genetically alien object for the mother’s body. But here the immune system deviates from the rules and for some time does not fight the “alien”, but, on the contrary, surrounds him with protection.Antibodies do not pass aggressive immune cells, killer T cells, through the placenta. This process lasts until the 40th week of pregnancy. Then antibodies begin to break down, aggressive cells become more and more, in the end they attack the placenta – and labor begins.
 Fact number 5: immunity cannot be raised 
 Experts believe that a healthy person does not need interventions. Our main task is not to interfere, that is, to create conditions for the immune system for quiet work. The recipes are banal, but effective: good nutrition (always with a sufficient amount of protein from which immune cells are built), physical activity (for normal blood circulation, which will quickly deliver them to all tissues of the body) and less stress.Our immune, nervous and hormonal systems are very closely related to each other. During stress, hormones are released that can not only suppress any immune activity, but also cause malfunctions in the cardiovascular system and also in metabolism.
 Read also Unloved work and harm to human health
 But what about immunomodulators – drugs that stimulate the immune function? They do exist. But those that really work require serious testimony.Due to the large number of side effects, they are used in hospitals. Well, and immunomodulators, which are actively advertised in our country and dispensed without a prescription, are not used in Europe and the United States, since there is no serious evidence base for their effectiveness. To take or not to take such drugs, everyone decides for himself.
 Fact number 6: the sun is a friend of immunity 
 Vitamin D, which is produced in our body under the influence of sunlight, is involved in cell regeneration and protein production, which means it strengthens the immune system.But everything should be in moderation: an overdose of the sun just suppresses the immune responses to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. And ultraviolet radiation can activate various diseases, so sunbathe in lace shade and use protective creams.
 Fact number 7: immune status – an objective assessment of immunity 
 The corresponding analysis allows you to find out the number of cells of the immune system (leukocytes and lymphocytes) and their ratio, assess the phagocytic activity of leukocytes (their ability to absorb bacteria) and their ability to synthesize antibodies.Assessment of the immune status is necessary for allergy sufferers, often seriously ill people, patients with oncopathologies, as well as when detecting pathologies during pregnancy. Only a doctor can prescribe and decipher such an analysis.
 Prepared by Olga Gulyaeva
 5 interesting facts about immunity that you need to know 
 Improper nutrition and lack of sleep contribute to a decrease in immunity
 Nutrition and sleep patterns are important factors for the functioning of the immune system and the whole organism.The “building material” that comes into the body with food contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system. And during sleep, cells are renewed. A night’s sleep is especially important, since it is during this period that immune cells are formed in the bone marrow. Therefore, with a lack of nutrition and sleep, the body does not have time to recover, the number of immune cells (antibodies) decreases, which means that the immune system is not working properly.
 Breastfeeding contributes to the formation of immunity in a child
Together with the mother’s milk, her antibodies are transferred to the baby, which help to protect him in the first months of life.Also, breast milk has a beneficial effect on the baby’s bowel function, which plays an important role in the development of the immune system. Therefore, pediatricians strongly recommend, if possible, breastfeeding for up to a year.
 Laughter strengthens the immune system
As they say, laughter is the best medicine for all diseases. And this is the real truth! When you laugh, the hormone dopamine and other chemicals are released that help improve brain function and reduce stress. Twenty minutes of laughter a day may not completely prevent you from going to the doctor, but it will definitely help your immune system to function normally.
 Vaccine – immune system teacher
A vaccine (inoculation) is a preparation that contains killed or severely weakened microorganisms, or their parts. Such microorganisms cannot cause disease, but they contribute to the production of antibodies necessary to fight a particular virus or bacterium. An “experienced” immune system is much quicker to deal with an infection with which it is already familiar. Therefore, with a repeated attack, the disease does not have time to develop at all or proceeds in a mild form.
 Some people are born without an immune system
Such people must live in an absolutely sterile environment so as not to get sick. A film about a boy with this disorder was filmed in 1976 called “Under the Hood”, based on a true story. 1 person in 100,000 is born with this trait.
 18 facts you need to know about immunity 
 Pediatrician, allergist-immunologist Bella Bragvadze told what the immune status is, how immunity affects pregnancy and whether the immunomodulators sold in the pharmacy are effective.
 Bella Bragvadze 
 Pediatrician, allergist-immunologist 
 Fact number 1: immune cells recognize “strangers” at the genetic level 
 In simple terms, immunity is a way of protecting an organism from a genetically foreign one. Immune cells at the genetic level recognize “friends” and “aliens”. As soon as “uninvited guests” – bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, foreign tissues (transplanted organs) – enter the body, it begins to attack them.The main task of immunity is to protect against intrusion. Recognition of “friend or foe” is possible due to the presence of receptors on each cell – it is from them that information is “read”.
 The immune system also protects against cancer and autoimmune pathologies. If a cell of our body has mutated, behaves aggressively or simply aged and does not fulfill its function, its receptor either changes or disappears from the surface. Immunity understands: something is wrong with her. And it absorbs it (phagocytosis) or starts the process of self-destruction in it (apoptosis).
 Fact number 2: lack of sleep reduces immunity 
 The functioning of the immune system directly depends on the “sleep-wake” regime and nutrition. These two factors are very important. Their significance is simply explained: for the normal functioning of immune cells (like any other), “building material” is needed, which comes along with food. They are updated during sleep, and if there is not enough of it, the “factory” crashes. It is the night’s sleep that is important – the formation of cells in the bone marrow occurs during this period.
 The most common change when the immune system is malfunctioning is a decrease in the number of cells, which leads to more frequent and more severe infectious diseases.
 Fact number 3: it is important to know your immune status 
 Immune status – quantitative and qualitative assessment of the main factors of immunity. This analysis allows you to: find out the number of cells of the immune system (leukocytes and lymphocytes) and their ratio, assess the phagocytic activity of leukocytes (the ability of cells to absorb bacteria) and their ability to synthesize antibodies.Assessment of the immune status is extremely important for allergy sufferers, often seriously ill people, suffering from autoimmune diseases, patients with oncopathologies, as well as in identifying pathologies during pregnancy.
 Only a doctor can prescribe and decipher the analysis. Based on its results, a group of pathological conditions is determined: without significant changes in the immune status, with a deficiency of the immune system (immunodeficiencies), with increased activation of immune cells (autoimmune diseases, allergies, inflammation).
 Analysis of the immune status makes it possible to diagnose a specific disease, determine its pathogenesis and cause, select an algorithm for individual immunotherapy and monitor its effectiveness.
 Fact number 4: immune cells can start working against our body 
 This occurs in autoimmune diseases. In such cases, they act against their own tissues or organs, affecting them in the same way as genetically foreign objects. Specialists have not yet learned to control immune cells 100%.This can be partially done with the help of vaccination – today this direction is actively developing in the treatment of oncological diseases. Vaccines train the cells of the immune system to fight off tumors. With the help of growth factors, an increase in the number of certain cells can be stimulated. It is at such levels that we have so far learned to interfere with the immune system. But for such manipulations there must be serious evidence.
 Fact number 5: some immunomodulators really work 
 Immunomodulators – drugs that stimulate the immune function.They do exist. But those of them that really work, require serious indications, may have side effects and contraindications. They are used in hospitals.
 Immunomodulators, actively promoted in our country and sold without a prescription, are not used in Europe and the USA – there is no serious evidence base for their effectiveness.
 I cannot say 100% that they are ineffective. In my practice, there are many cases when a large number of immunomodulators and a combination of several drugs led to the “manifest” of allergic reactions and the development of autoimmune diseases.I do not use them for two reasons: not proven effectiveness, the risk of complications.
 Fact number 6: vaccination contributes to the formation of immunological memory 
 There has been a fierce debate about vaccinations over the past few years. I am an advocate of vaccination. It forms immunological memory. This process has been well studied from an evidence-based medicine perspective. I and all my family members are vaccinated. We do this every 10 years. The question is that you need to vaccinate wisely, taking into account contraindications, the presence of allergies and other individual characteristics.
 Fact number 7: allergy – an overreaction of the immune system 
 It is believed that everyone has their own allergen. I do not think so. Indeed, allergies are very common. There are several theories why people began to suffer from it more often. The essence of the most popular is as follows. Several centuries ago, parasitic infections “flourished” and the immune system was directed to fight them. Now living conditions are completely different: we eat well, live in clean rooms, and process food well.
 Our body practically does not meet with parasites, and all the forces of the immune system are directed to fight other objects that it recognizes as foreign.
 Statistics are cited to prove this theory: in undeveloped countries with a low standard of living, allergies are much less common than among Europeans.
 Fact number 8: breastfeeding contributes to the formation of immunity 
 This fact has long been proven and is not subject to appeal.Together with breast milk, the mother transfers antibodies to the baby – it helps to protect the baby in the first months of life (his own immune function is low). In addition, breast milk has an excellent composition – it has a beneficial effect on bowel function. If it is “populated” with a normal microbiota and works well, the immune defenses are functioning perfectly. Experts recommend, if possible, to feed the child at least up to a year.
 Fact number 9: immunity is directly related to the work of the digestive tract 
 GI function is associated with the immune system for several reasons.Firstly, lymphoid tissue is widely represented in the intestine, in which immune cells are located.
 Secondly, there are many mucous membranes – immune cells actively interact with them. Thirdly, there are many microorganisms in the intestines, both useful and not very good. The balance of flora has a serious impact on immunity. If the digestion in the intestine is incomplete, it can cause allergies and other immunopathologies.
 Fact # 10: antibiotics can affect immunity 
 Some types of antibiotics can inhibit the growth and differentiation of cells of the immune system.In a general blood test, this manifests itself in the form of a decrease in leukocytes, lymphocytes or neutrophils. After discontinuation of the drug, their number is restored.
 It is impossible to use antibiotics without strict indications – so we deprive the immune system of the ability to independently fight infection and form immunological memory.
 Do not forget about the resistance of microorganisms – today it is a serious problem.
 Fact number 11: to understand that you have a reduced immune status – just 
 We know what the immune system is fighting with, so it is easy to determine a decrease in immune status.Frequent infectious diseases are the main sign that the “defense” has failed. And it’s not just ARVI. With a decrease in immunity, a viral infection often ends with bacterial complications.
 Fact number 12: a really working way to raise immunity on your own is a correct lifestyle 
 I would like to joke that the real way to boost immunity is to go on vacation. In fact, for this you need to lead the right lifestyle. If a person adheres to the regime and allows the immune system to recover and function normally, there are no problems.It’s another matter if there is some kind of genetic “breakdown” or immunopathology. Here, one cannot do without drugs and the help of a specialist.
 Fact number 13: severe combined immunodeficiency is treated 
 Severe combined immunodeficiency is a genetic disease related to primary immunodeficiency. It is characterized by a complete or partial inability to form lymphocytes in sufficient quantities. When there are no protective antibodies, the child is seriously ill with infectious diseases.The only treatment that shows good results is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
 Fact number 14: women are most often affected by autoimmune diseases 
 Autoimmune diseases – conditions when cells of the immune system, aggressive to their own tissues, were not rejected by the bone marrow or thymus and entered the peripheral circulation. They start attacking instantly! Anything can be a “target”: connective tissue, thyroid gland.Such diseases are treated with immunosuppressive drugs that suppress the function of the immune system.
 A fairly common phenomenon during therapy is viral infections. Alas, no other treatment has yet been invented.
 Women are most commonly affected by some autoimmune diseases. This is due to the fact that female sex hormones increase the number of antibodies, including autoaggressive ones.
 Provoking factors: adolescence and pregnancy.
 Fact number 15: vitamin D is needed to maintain immunity 
 Recently, there have been many studies of vitamin D – it is hormone-like and takes part in many processes, including the work of the immune system, activating it.Promotes an adequate immune response.
 Fact number 16: there is congenital and acquired immunity 
 Evolutionarily innate immunity was introduced much earlier. The acquired one appears later. They have different cells and protein factors. Innate immunity is the first line of defense. At the level of mucous membranes, in the first hours after infection, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, macrophages, proteins of the acute phase, heat shock, working here and now, are activated. Congenital immunity has no memory.
 The acquired immunity is different for us – it depends on who has encountered what infections. This is a very intelligent system, represented by T and B lymphocytes. Protein factor of acquired immunity – antibodies. He, in contrast to the congenital, has an immunological memory. Faced with an infection once, the next time it enters the body, the immune response will be realized on the first day, and not after 5-7 days.
 Fact number 17: pregnancy depends on immunity 
 Moreover, it is possible thanks to immunity! Pregnancy is a complex process during which the immune system plays an important role.An interesting fact: a child is a foreign object for the mother’s body, but immune cells do not touch it, but, on the contrary, surround the fetus with protective antibodies. They prevent aggressive immune cells – killer T cells – from reaching the fetus through the placenta. At the same time, the process of reducing the number of aggressive protective cells is launched so that they cannot “break through the defense.” That is why pregnancy is accompanied by mild immunodeficiency, which lasts up to 38-40 weeks. Then the antibodies begin to break down, there will be more aggressive protective cells, they will begin to attack the placenta – this is the beginning of labor.
 Fact number 18: before planning a pregnancy, it is better to get vaccinated 
 I am a proponent that an adult should get vaccinated every 10 years.
 Standard list: vaccination against tetanus, measles, rubella, hepatitis B, chickenpox (for those who were not sick).
 Three months before the planned conception, I recommend getting these vaccinations. In some situations, vaccination is also possible during pregnancy to protect against influenza, tetanus, rabies, pneumococcus, and so on.The appropriateness of the use of vaccines is determined by the attending physician.
 
 Interview and text: Natalia Kapitsa 
90,000 Eight facts about immunity – RIA Novosti, 11/07/2016
 The immune system is a unique system of our body that is necessary to protect against infection, cancer and autoimmune diseases. 
 We often come across the term “Immunity”, but we know so little about it! It’s time to open the veil of secrecy ..
  Fact №1 The basis of immunity is genetics 
 It’s no secret that each of us is exceptional and unique! So, the cells of the immune system exercise supervision in all tissues and organs and recognize “their” and “foreign” at the genetic level.And when this surveillance is successful, everything foreign, from viruses to cancer cells, perishes.
  Fact №2 There are two types of immunity: congenital and acquired 
 Literally from the name it becomes clear that we are born with innate immunity. It is the body’s first line of defense against infection. Let’s look at an example: 
 runny nose and sore throat with acute respiratory infections are signs of an active fight against the microbes of innate immunity on our mucous membranes! 
 The acquired immunity is more complex, lymphocytes are responsible for it, which come to the aid of the cells of innate immunity and reach the peak of their activity by the 7th day of the disease! 
 Maybe that’s why with ARI by the 7th day we feel much better? 
 Why is this immunity called acquired? 
 It’s simple, it depends on what kind of bacteria and viruses we had to face during our life! Thus, the acquired immunity of a citizen of Greenland and Thailand will be completely different, even if they are identical twins!
  
 Fact №3 Physiological immunodeficiency! 
 A phrase that can cause horror and panic! In fact, this is a condition that each of us had to face.This is the name of the periods of life in which the body is more sensitive to infections: 
 • Children from birth to 6 years, namely until the formation of their immunity. 
 • Adolescents ~ 12-13 years old due to hormonal surge, which affects the immune system as well. 
 • Immunodeficiency of pregnant women – a necessary weakening of the immune system for bearing a fetus (see Fact No. 7). 
 • People over 65 due to a slowdown in metabolic processes.
  Fact # 4 The cells of the immune system have memory! 
 In fact, lymphocytes remember the infection they have already encountered! Thanks to this property, we do not get chickenpox twice, and this is called lifelong immunity! 
 Moreover, vaccination is based on this property! In response to the vaccination, the lymphocyte forms a memory cell, which, when faced with an infection, prevents us from getting sick, and this has its proven effectiveness!
  Fact # 5 Allergy is one of the fastest growing diseases of the 21st century 
 Allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to various substances (allergens).The formation of allergies is associated with heredity and environmental changes, which explains such an increase in the incidence in the XX-XXI centuries. The most common allergens are tree pollen, house dust mites and cow’s milk protein.
  Fact №6 Immunity protects against its own cells! 
 Immunity protects us not only from infections, but also from ourselves. Only 5% of all lymphocytes created will be able to pass careful selection. The remaining 95% of the cells are destroyed! Such selection is based on only one factor – the lymphocyte must fight only that which is “foreign”.This important regulation prevents the development of autoimmune diseases.
  Fact №7 Pregnancy is possible thanks to immunity! 
 We found out that the human body will reject any genetically foreign structure, since the cells of the immune system exercise supervision inside our body. But there are exceptions to any rule! Pregnancy! 
 The child is 50% of the father and 50% of the mother, and therefore from the point of view of genetics for the mother’s body he will be “alien”! But the immune system is not so simple, it deviates from its rules! Moreover, it reduces all aggressive factors and protects the fetus until the moment of birth.
 Conclusion: a woman’s ability to bear and give birth to a child 
 different from her genetically is another unique property of the immune system!
  Fact No. 8 Primary immunodeficiency 
 With a frequency of 1: 10,000, children are born with genetic defects, which lead to a lack of ability to fight infections. Their congenital disease is called primary immunodeficiency. But they can be helped with a bone marrow transplant. Donor cells will take over the protective function and allow the child to grow and enjoy life.
 Now we know a little more about the amazing human immune system that protects our health! And our task is only to slightly support the body in this difficult struggle! Help is simple: good nutrition, sleep, walks in the fresh air and exercise! And the rest will be done by immunity!
 11 interesting facts about the immune system 
 Created on 10/30/2013 05:22 PM
 Author: Evgeniy
 The immune system is a human defender, and its main task is to protect the body from the effects of pathogenic and harmful foreign bodies.
 Immunity works on this principle: first, it recognizes foreign bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites lurking in the body, and then sends its troops – white blood cells – to destroy the invaders and tissues infected by them. 
 Here are 11 fun facts about the immune system.
  Some people have little or no immunity 
 The 1976 film “Under the Hood” depicts a person with a lack of immunity who is forced to live in a completely sterile environment, because his body is unable to fight infections.Although the story is fictitious, an immune system disorder – severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) – is real, and it happens about once in every 100,000 births. 
 Bone marrow transplantation from an appropriate relative donor has been used to treat SCID patients, but gene therapy has recently shown promise in this area. 
  For a long time it was thought that diseases caused an imbalance of fluids 
 The theory of the microbial origin of diseases, which correctly indicates that certain diseases are caused by microorganisms, gained acceptance in the 19th century.Prior to the microbial theory, the humoral theory dominated medical science for 2 thousand years. 
 The erroneous version stated that the human body consists of four liquid substances or “juices”: blood, yellow bile, black bile and mucus. An excess or shortage of one or more fluids causes illness or abnormalities. Treatment options such as phlebotomy were aimed at restoring fluid balance. 
  Immunity was first mentioned two thousand years ago 
 The first vaccine was developed at the end of the 18th century, but people realized the importance of immunity long before that.
 During an epidemic in Athens in 430 BC. the Greeks realized that people who had suffered from smallpox no longer developed the disease. Moreover, smallpox survivors were often referred to care for those with the disease for the first time. 
 In the 10th century, Chinese healers began to blow dried pock marks into the noses of healthy patients who were mildly ill and those who survived became immune to the disease. This practice, called variolation or inoculation, spread throughout Europe and New England in the 1700s.
  Symptoms are sometimes signs that the immune system is performing its function 
 You can often hear that bacteria, viruses and fungi are the causes of disease symptoms, but technically this is wrong. Symptoms sometimes appear when the immune system reacts with microorganisms. 
 Take the common cold, for example. The immune system kicks in when rhinoviruses invade the epithelial layer (the cells lining the body cavities) of the upper respiratory system.Immune system chemicals called histamines dilate blood vessels and increase their permeability, allowing proteins and white blood cells to reach infected epithelial tissues. However, inflammation of the blood vessels in the nasal passages causes nasal congestion. 
 In addition, increased leakage of fluid from permeable capillaries, combined with increased mucus production, triggered by histamines, may result from a runny nose. 
  Immune system may suffer from lack of sleep 
 A healthy immune system is vital in preventing colds, flu and other illnesses.But research over the past several decades demonstrates that sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system’s ability to fight disease, for example by reducing T cell division. Even a single night of poor sleep can damage your immune system by lowering your natural killer cell count. 
 What’s more, a 2012 study even found that vaccines were less effective for people who sleep less than six hours a night compared to those who get adequate sleep. This may be due to the fact that reduced sleep leads to a decrease in the immune response.
  Milkmaids helped invent the first vaccine 
 In the 1700s, variolation became a common practice in the Western community. This method still showed some mortality, but the rate was 10 times lower than the smallpox mortality rate. Over time, stories began to spread that milkmaids who had suffered from vaccinia could not contract smallpox. Moreover, the mortality rate due to vaccinia was lower than that due to variolation. 
 This information prompted the English physician Edward Jenner to conclude that vaccinia protects against smallpox, and that the first of these diseases can be safely transmitted to humans, thereby protecting against smallpox.
 For example, in May 1976, Jenner prepared the first smallpox vaccine. He found a young milkmaid with fresh vaccinia sores on her arms, took pus from them, and infected an 8-year-old boy. The child developed mild symptoms such as fever and loss of appetite, but recovered quickly. A few months later, Jenner injected the boy with pus from a fresh smallpox ulcer and had no symptoms. 
  Mainly women are susceptible to autoimmune diseases 
 An autoimmune disease is an ailment when the body’s natural defenses become overactive, affecting normal tissues as if they were foreign organisms.Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, and psoriasis. 
 But men and women are not equally susceptible to such diseases. So, out of 5-8 percent of those suffering from autoimmune diseases, about 78 percent are women. 
  Gut bacteria are the secret to a healthy immune system 
 The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, their number is 10 times the number of its own cells. These microbes often benefit the gastrointestinal tract by promoting digestion and producing vitamins B and K.But research has shown that gut bacteria also help the immune system and keep the body healthy in a variety of ways. 
 For example, beneficial bacteria prevent pathogens from taking root in epithelial and mucosal tissue. And these symbiotic bacteria train the immune system to distinguish between disease-causing pathogens and harmless antigens that prevent allergies from developing. 
 Likewise, “good” bacteria can influence the immune system’s sensitivity to antigens, helping to prevent autoimmune diseases when the immune system attacks its own body tissues.
 In addition, the bacteria produce antibodies that promote the production of intestinal proteins, which help the immune system to heal internal damage. 
  Sunlight has a complex effect on the immune system 
 For decades, scientists have known that exposure to sunlight, particularly ultraviolet radiation, can suppress the immune system’s response to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. To disable immunity, only 30-50 percent of the amount of ultraviolet radiation required for a barely noticeable sunburn is required.
 At the same time, sunlight causes the body to produce vitamin D. Recent research indicates that T cells are not mobilized if they recognize only a small amount of vitamin D in the blood stream. In addition, other research suggests that vitamin D can trigger the production of antimicrobial peptides in the skin, which compounds protect the body from new infections. 
  White blood cells make up only a small percentage of blood 
 The immune system works constantly, protecting against disease and fighting off existing infections, which makes you think that the soldiers of immunity – white blood cells – are contained in the blood in large volumes.But this is not the case. The number of white blood cells is only 1 percent of the cells in 5 liters of adult blood. 
 But don’t worry; this is more than enough to perform the required functions. Each milliliter of blood contains 5-10 thousand white blood cells. 
  Ancient immune system can be studied on starfish 
 There are two equally important aspects of the immune system: innate and acquired immunity. The innate immune system consists of cells and proteins, always ready to fight microorganisms in the focus of infection.An acquired immune system kicks in when pathogens bypass natural defenses. 
 Invertebrates generally lack acquired immunity, unlike animals with a spine. But in the late 19th century, Russian biologist Ilya Mechnikov discovered that invertebrates do have an innate immune system. 
 In an experiment in December 1882, Mechnikov pierced a starfish larva with a rose thorn. Examining the creature the next day, he found many tiny cells trying to swallow the thorn (this process of innate immunity is called phagocytosis).
 Importantly, the starfish has remained virtually unchanged since its evolution about 500 million years ago, long before vertebrates appeared on the planet. This means that innate immunity has very ancient and deep roots.
 FacePla.net based on materials: Livescience
 Facts about immunity – 10 most interesting 
 The immune system is a unique instrument of our body.And probably the most important one. It is she who protects us from bacteria and viruses that can cause various diseases.
 The immune system recognizes “pests” and sends white blood cells to fight them. Want to know more? Here are 10 interesting facts about immunity.
 1.  One in 100,000 cases  a person may have severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). This congenital disease implies a complete lack of a defense mechanism.A bone marrow transplant is required to treat it.
 2.  About the role of immunity for humans , they began to think seriously only in the 18th century. And only in the 19th century, experts recognized that it was microorganisms that were the true cause of the development of diseases.
 3.  Symptoms of any disease  is a clear sign that the immune system is performing its function.
 4.  Sleep and immunity are closely related  – it is because of lack of sleep that your immune system can be compromised.
 This has been proven in several studies by scientists from around the world. The fact is that with a lack of sleep, the process of T-cell division slows down. At the same time, even one night of lack of sleep can negatively affect immunity.
 5.  The vaccine to stimulate the immune system  appeared thanks to milkmaids. It was noticed that women who suffered from cowpox in the 17th and 18th centuries did not fall ill with it in the future. This was the impetus for the invention of the smallpox vaccine by the English physician Edward Jenner.
 6.  Autoimmune diseases , in which the immune system reacts to its own tissues as a foreign object, starting to fight them, mainly affect women – about 78%. This is evidenced by statistics, but so far there is no exact explanation for this.
 7. Immunity is in the intestine . As scientists have found out, the secret of the immune system is hidden in the gastrointestinal tract – it is there that special bacteria work that maintain health in general.
 In addition, billions of gut bacteria produce antibodies to make proteins, with which the immune system heals various injuries.
 8.  The sun is the best friend of immunity , because the vitamin D received with it participates in cell regeneration and the production of proteins. It is sunlight that has a complex effect on the immune system. But an overdose of the sun does not do anything good – immune responses to bacterial, viral and fungal infections are suppressed.
 9.  White blood cells , which fight bacteria, infections and viruses, is a small percentage of blood (approximately 1%).They are developed gradually – for a phased fight against diseases.
 10.  There is congenital and acquired immunity . The first is from cells and proteins that are always present in the body. This is natural immunity. The second comes into play when pathogens bypass natural defenses.
90,000 5 facts you should know about immunity
 With the onset of cold weather, many begin to work hard to strengthen the immune system – so as not to catch the flu or other infection.In fact, this issue needs to be dealt with not only during the season of illness, but around the clock. We will show you how to do this.
  1. Good immunity can be inherited 
 Sounds like old superstitions, but immunologists say it is. The fact is that human immunity is “laid” even before birth. And the healthier the parents are, the more likely they are to have a healthy child. But “good genetics” is far from a 100% guarantee.So, a baby is born with defective immunity – his immune cells have so far been produced in insufficient quantities. And the baby receives most of them with the mother’s breast milk. It contains protective proteins that protect the body of the crumbs from infections. Actually, this is how the formation of immunity begins.
  2. Poor immunity can be “pumped over” 
 And the way that gives the effect is simple to the banal: you need to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, the people say that the most difficult thing is always the most difficult to accomplish.So what do the doctors recommend?
 Proper nutrition. This point implies a complete (or at least the maximum possible) rejection of fast food and a diet with a sufficient amount of protein foods. We are talking about meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, cereals, nuts and legumes. As you can see, it is possible even for vegetarians to follow the “immune diet”.
 Physical activity. This can be morning exercises, gym classes, walks in the fresh air – all together, or at least one of these components.If you have the opportunity to walk a couple of stops before work, be sure to go. And at lunchtime, it’s better to walk a little. What are the benefits of such sorties? At the very least, you will stretch the muscles stiff from sitting work. Also, movement will make the heart work more actively and enrich the blood with oxygen.
 Adequate sleep. According to WHO standards, an adult man needs eight hours to recover, a woman – at least nine.
 Quitting bad habits, even smoking.
 Ability to relax. Now a person lives in a state of constant stress. In the last decade, doctors have recorded a new disease – the syndrome of psycho-emotional burnout. Most often, public people suffer from this. Too much stress causes their immune systems to weaken. This leads to an exacerbation of chronic diseases and the emergence of new ones.
  3. How does a weakened immune system manifest itself? 
 A chronic disease will become a signal of an immune disorder – as a rule, they appear plus or minus by the age of 40.One more “bell” – if the disease does not respond to treatment or, having subsided for a while, reappears. Also, fatigue syndrome indicates a weakened immune system. This is a complex neuropsychiatric disease of the 21st century, which can develop into chronic fatigue syndrome.
  4. Immunogram will help to diagnose 
 This procedure gives the most accurate picture of the state of the body’s immune system. For an immunogram, a person’s blood is taken from a vein.Results come in 3 to 4 days.
 In general, the process resembles a complete blood count, but with a significant difference. The results of both analyzes look like tables with the names of the cells and the indication of their number in the blood. In a routine examination, the laboratory only determines the number of red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes, and hemoglobin. And the immunogram displays the number of cells responsible for the body’s immunity. There are more than 32 types of them in total.
  5. How can you improve immunity during an influenza epidemic? 
 There is a law of physiology: what is trained works well.Immunity functions on the same principle: in order for it to remain healthy, it must be constantly maintained. In addition to the already mentioned principles of a healthy lifestyle, doctors recommend swimming. It is rightfully considered a universal sport: swimming in the pool trains all the muscles of the body and relieves nervous tension.
 Foto: Shutterstock.com
 23 November 2019 at 22:09
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