All of us have read articles and heard lots of claims of things that are supposed to support our immune system. We know something about the fact that vaccinations use our immune system to fight off things that would invade our bodies and cause disease and premature death. What we may not know is that the human immune system is made up of some half-a-dozen different cell types that work in tandem. Each cell type has a different and unique job to perform, which is fundamental to the body’s ability to defend against invaders and ward off disease. If one of these players is taken out of commission the entire system is thrown out of whack.

New studies have shown that dendritic cells are a vital part of our immune system. These cells engulf pathogens, break them down into their component parts and display the pieces on their surfaces. This signals other immune cells capable of recognizing these pieces to attack and destroy the pathogen.

Antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) and proteins are made by beta cells. Their normal role is to neutralize toxins or viruses and mark bacteria for destruction by other immune cells. New research has shown that these antibodies also are used to communicate between beta cells and dendritic cells. For laymen what this means is that our immune system is a team of carefully designed components that work together and enable us to live in a world full of chemicals and agents that could bring us illness and death. This complex design system radiates an intelligent designer who carefully built into us an incredible system to protect us. Source: Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Picture credits:
Hemera Photo Objects Collection