INMUNE SYSTEM

Nombre: Ariel Eduard Ibañez Saavedra

The immune system is the set of biological elements and processes within an organism that
allows it to maintain homeostasis or internal balance against external aggressions, whether
they are biological in nature (pathogens) or physico-chemical (such as contaminants or
radiation), and internal (for example, cancer cells). It recognizes the harmful thing and reacts
against it (either external or internal aggression)

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BODIES

The immune system consists of a series of organs, tissues and cells widely distributed
throughout the body. Functionally, the organs are classified into primary and secondary. The
primary ones are the bone marrow and the thymus, which are the ones that provide the
microenvironment for the maturation of the lymphocytes of the acquired immunity. The
secondary organs are the lymph nodes, the spleen, the lymphoid tissue associated with the
mucosa (and in part the bone marrow itself) where the immune cells migrate with the
microorganism or antigen inside, providing the adequate environment for the lymphocytes
interact with it, in the process called Antigen Presentation.

INNATE (NATURAL) IMMUNITY:

Innate means something a person is born with. Therefore, to act effectively, innate immunity
does not require that there has been a previous encounter with a particular microorganism or
with other types of invaders. It produces an immediate response to the presence of invaders,
without the need to have learned to recognize them. Different types of white blood cells or
leukocytes participate in this response

ACQUIRED (ADAPTIVE OR SPECIFIC) IMMUNITY:

In acquired immunity, white blood cells called lymphocytes (B and T cells) find an invader,
learn how to attack it, and remember it as a specific invader so they can attack it even more
efficiently the next time they find. Acquired immunity takes a certain time to develop after the
initial encounter with a new invader, as the lymphocytes must adapt. However, once adapted,
the response is quick. The B and T lymphocytes work together to destroy invaders. In order to
recognize invaders, T cells need the help of cells called antigen presenting cells.

THE IMMUNOLOGICAL PROCESS

The immune process works like this: An infectious agent enters the body. Maybe it's a flu virus
that enters the nose. Perhaps it is a bacterium that enters the blood when it is punctured with
a nail. Your immune system is always on the alert to detect and attack the infectious agent
before it causes harm. Whatever the agent, the immune system recognizes it as a foreign
body. These outer bodies are called antigens. And the antigens must be removed.

The body's first line of defense is a group of cells called macrophages. These cells circulate in
the bloodstream and in body tissues, vigilant for antigens.
When an invader enters, a macrophage quickly detects it and captures it within the cell.
Enzymes inside the macrophage destroy the antigen by processing it into small pieces called
antigenic peptides. Sometimes this process alone is enough to eliminate the invader. However,
in most cases, other cells of the immune system must join the fight.

Cells called T-class lymphocytes can then recognize and interact with the HLA-antigenic
peptide complex found on the surface of the macrophage.

Once this complex is recognized, T lymphocytes send chemical signals called cytokines. These
cytokines attract more T lymphocytes. They also alert other class B lymphocytes to produce
antibodies.

These antibodies are released into the bloodstream to find and bind more antigens so that
invaders cannot multiply and make you sick. In the last step of this process, a cell called a
phagocyte is responsible for removing the antigen from the body.