Liceo Bicentenario Diego Portales P.

English department
Calama

The Immune System

Name: Frank A. Machaca Mamani

Course: 4th A
Year: 2018
Abstract:

The immune system is one of the systems of our body with great importance, its
job is to protect our body from the multiple infections and viruses that are found
in the world around us. To do this, he has a large number of cells and organs in
charge of making his work as synchronized as possible, which we will see
below as are the classes of lymphocytes and the ways of dealing with a specific
pathogen that would be at risk our life. The system has many ways of keeping
constant for the greater speed of elimination of a pathogen, by means of its
immunological memory that allows a greater speed at the time of facing a
known pathogen or similar to one that has attacked previously. We will also see
ways to avoid contagion or prevent the attack of the pathogens that surround
us.
Introduction:

Bacteria, viruses and microorganisms are everywhere and some live from other
beings, in our case they are mostly responsible for the diseases we suffer,
taking advantage of a moment of vulnerability of the immune system, but what
our body really does in front of these attacks; the immune system is in charge of
eliminating, treating and defending the organism with special cells designed for
the defense of the organism.

The immune system is constituted by 3 lines of defense: the first that are the
external and non-specific barriers that impede the entry of microorganisms are
the skin and mucous membranes; The second are those that fight against the
invaders, through phagocytosis, inflammation and fever; the third is specific
attack, an immune response to what is considered strange.
The microorganisms enter our body through 4 stages, adhere to the skin and
mucous membranes; they penetrate this area invading the pineal cells and
reproducing in them; invasion go through the cells and reach other organs; and
finally dissemination where they travel to the macrophages by dispersion or by
blood or lymphatic vessels.

But really how do these cells defend us? They defend us with the T and B
Lymphocytes that are different in many aspects, LT CD4 + is in charge of
cooperating with LB and activating the macrophages for the delayed cellular
effector response; LT CD8 + is in charge of destroying pathogen-infected cells.
LB CD4 + are divided by mitosis and there are differences in plasma and
memory cells, the first responsible for producing antibodies, the second
circulates after the pathogen is eliminated. There are also NK cells that kill
tumor or infected cells.
Methodology:
Our defense: as mentioned, bacteria invade our body through four stages that
cross the lines of defense, the first two lines (First and Second) are
characterized by: nonspecific, immediate, have molecular receptors to
recognize pathogens, do not possess immunological memory, in charge of
other cells; While the Third Line is characterized by: being delayed to generate
a response, they are highly specific, they have TCR and BCR receivers to
differentiate a large number of cells, they have memory so they can offer an
increasingly fast response.

The Innate Immune response is the inflammation that occurs once the first two
barriers, the skin and mucous membranes that protect against the entry of
microorganisms, are violated; The second barrier with phagocytic cells: among
them are macrophages that are derived from differentiated monocytes when
they leave the blood and differentiate in the tissues, which phagocytose bacteria
and dead cells, their function is similar to NK cells; we also find proteins, which
are mainly cytokines that regulate inflammation, and potentiate immune and
inflammatory reactions

Inflammation is activated when connective tissue sends an inflammatory

response that leads to phagocytosis, which also activates the complement
system that potentiates inflammation and lyses pathogens.
Adaptive immunity detects and eliminates pathogens or altered cells to prevent
infection, its action is faster because they have memory. They are composed of
T and B lymphocytes that are able to recognize antigens in a specific way. In
the primary lymphoid organs, thymus, bone marrow, the lymphocytes develop
and mature, acquiring immune competence. Secondary lymphoid organs, lymph
nodes, spleen, tonsils, where effector immune responses are generated.

Immune response:

For effective recognition, the ability of the immune system to distinguish

between what is self and what is foreign is fundamental.

MHC, major histocompatibility complex, contains the genes class 1, class 2 and
class 3, the first two are expressed in the cell membrane and is responsible for
presenting the antigen to the T lymphocytes, the class 3 genes encode soluble
proteins that participate in the immune response.

-MHC Class 1: present in all nucleated cells with a unique combination per
person present the own immune system.
-MHC Class 2 are expressed only in cells presenting professional antigens.
Main cells that participate in the immune response:

T lymphocytes: CD4 + LT, are those in charge of the cooperation with the
humoral response of the B lymphocytes and also activate the macrophages; LT
CD8 + destroy cells infected by pathogens.
B lymphocytes: after being activated by CD4 + LT, they divide by mitosis and
differentiate into plasma cells and memory cells. The first ones in charge of the
humoral immunity with the production of antibodies, the memory cells remain
circulating after the pathogen is eliminated.

NK cells: they are large lymphocytes that circulate and monitor cells, are
nonspecific and eliminate tumor cells or infected by a process similar to that
performed by cytotoxic LT.

Development of the adaptive immune response:

The type of response will depend on the location of the antigens, endogenous if
they are in the extracellular space, or endogenous if they are in the cytosol.

-Activation of lymphocytes: it is the beginning of synthesis of specific proteins,

requiring two signals, the presence of the antigen and some innate
manifestation.

- clonal expansion: the lymphocytes proliferate, multiplying by mitosis, obtaining

a monospecific contingent of activated lymphocytes.

-Differentiation: the activated lymphocytes are differentiated to effector cells and

memory cells.

Humoral response:

In charge of immunoglobulins or antibodies, complex multifunctional molecules

synthesized by plasma cells.

They are encoded in somatic line genes and each B lymphocyte presents these
molecules bound to its membrane, once activated, the LB differentiate to
plasma cells that secrete millions of molecules of the same specificity.
Specific and exclusive Antibody Arrangement for each Antigen:

1955, Niels Jerne states that the antigen chooses the most specific antibody in
the body and promotes its production. Then the CLONAL SELECTION
THEORY is postulated, according to which an antigen selects the lymphocytes
with the specific receptors for it and induces them to form a clone of cells that
secrete that antibody. Each cell must have a single specificity.
Cellular Response:

Many intracellular pathogens can survive inside the organism within phagocytes
and other cells, for which the defense must distinguish the cellular-toxic
response from the delayed hypersensitive-type cellular response.
-Cytotoxic cell response: activated when the antigen is synthesized by the
affected cell, as is the case of cancer cells and infected with viruses. It presents
the peptides of these different proteins in Class 1 to the CD8 + LT, which when
activated recognize the antigen on the cell surface, approach them, touch them
and kill them by releasing perforins and granzymes, which induce apoptosis in
the cell affected

- Delayed Hypersensitivity cellular response: Inflammatory response that takes

two to three days to manifest, involved activated CD4 + LT, which recognize the
antigen in Class 2 infected phagocytes, consequently, releasing cytokines that
attract many macrophages to the area and other inflammatory cells, increase
their efficiency and activate inflammation, efficient against a variety of
pathogens such as the bacillus that produces tuberculosis.

Results:

The immune system is able to perform many processes together from different
parts of the body, but the system has a memory that serves to act more quickly
against an attack of an antigen, for them it must have had an attack previously.

Importance of the immune system:

Immunity includes a series of mechanisms that, from birth, allow our body to
defend against foreign elements, such as infectious agents (bacteria, viruses or
parasites).

Unfortunately, the immune mechanisms can suffer different dysfunctions for

reasons that are often related to our way of life: food, pollution, stress, diseases,
aging, etc.

The intestine is an organ that is very involved in the immune defense system,
because it contains billions of bacteria that help protect us against pathogens.

For a good immunity, it is advisable to balance the intestinal flora called

microbiota:
• Adopting a non-toxic eating behavior that eliminates all foods containing
pesticides and heavy metals;

• Eliminating foods that cause digestive intolerance accompanied by cutaneous

and / or digestive manifestations - which may be due to an intolerance to gluten,
lactose, peanut, hard nuts,etc.

• Contributing probiotics, prebiotics and various micronutrients such as

glutamine or vitamin D, which constitute the "food" of the immune cells of the
intestine, etc .;

The preservation of the immune system also goes through a good balance of
our anti-radical systems, that is, of all the systems to combat the accelerated
aging of our cells.

The anti-radical substances known with vitamins A-C-E, as well as selenium,

zinc, certain enzymes such as SOD or coenzyme Q10. We find these
micronutrients in fruit and vegetables, which should preferably be chosen with
the label "BIO agriculture".

Stress causes an overproduction of free radicals harmful to the immune system.

To help fight against stress, there are several solutions that can be associated,
such as: relaxation methods, luminotherapy, sports practice, the taking of
micronutrients based on magnesium or specific amino acids for the production
of serotonin (tryptophan).

The dysfunction of the immune system causes various reactions in cascade -

and even autoimmune reactions - affecting mainly the respiratory and digestive
systems.

Discussion:
As we have seen, the immune system is made up of diverse regions that act together to
protect the body of the living being. Among other things, the system has many cells working in
search of a fault that could cause the death of the living being.

Conclusion:
The immune system is constantly changing developing ways to eliminate and deal with the
enemies of our body, also that without its existence there would be no defense for the body,
its importance is such that without this complex system the life of a human being would not be
possible , among other things, the human being can strengthen and contribute to this system
through vitamins and having an educated prevention from home, such as washing hands,
cleaning a wound to avoid infection, be hygienic with our daily life, eat food in good state, also
that diseases caused by viruses and infections can put our lives at risk.

Acknowledgements:

I thank my parents for the time provided to carry out this work, as well as the
library managers for allowing me to read physics books that contributed to the
details of this Paper.

References:
- Biologia ll, Editorial Santilla.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj8Zsu1UuGk
- http://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/histologia/sistema_inmunitario.pdf