Human Body 2.0: The Immune System

The Immune System

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_of_the_Immune_System_by_AIDS.gov.jpg

Basics

Function:

The immune system protects your body from bacteria, viruses, and poisons you might encounter every day. They keep you healthy by attacking unknown and foreign invaders in your body and going after cells that creating in your body that might able to endanger your life.

Organs:

The major organs of the immune system include:  Bone Marrow, Thyme, Lymph Nodes, Spleen, Appendix, and Tonsils.

BONE MARROW: Bone Marrow is extremely important to the immune system. This makes sense considering ALL CELLS in the immune system is originally produced by Bone Marrow. They are formed in a process called hematopoiesis. Bone Marrow also creates natural killer cells, immature thymocytes, red blood cells, and more.

THYMUS: The thymus is divided into two lobes. Its function is to produce Lymphocytes T-cells and B-cells as well as dispatch them to secondary organs. Basically, its purpose is to initiate antibody formation and create Lymphocytes (or white blood cells).

LYMPH NODES:  Lymph nodes are bean-shaped clusters of lymphatic tissue. There are about 500-700 of them spread out within or bodies. Their function is to capture cancer cells and bacteria that are traveling within the body in something called the lymph fluid.

SPLEEN: The main function of the spleen is to recycle old red blood cells and stores white blood cells. In addition to this, the spleen also helps fight certain types of bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis.


APPENDIX: The appendix is a thin 3-4 inch long tube that hangs off of the cecum (the end of the large intestine). Its function is to inform the lymphocytes exactly where they have to go to attack infection. It also a enhances the large intestine's defenses to a larger vareity of foods and drugs.

TONSILS: Your tonsils are the two lumps of tissue on either side of your throat. Their job is to trap viruses and bacteria that you might breathe in. 

Interactions With Other Systems

The immune system works with the circulatory system but helps all body systems.

Circulatory System

The circulatory system provides all transportation needs for the immune system. For example, when the immune system identifies some bad cells, it then tells your circulatory system to send some lymphocytes (white blood cells) over to deal with the problem.

All Other Ones!

The immune system constantly patrols and gets rid of harmful cells, viruses, and bacteria in all of the organs and tissue in the body. They protect, watch over, and aid ever system in the body making sure they are safe.

Analogy: The Immune System is Like 
A Mall Security System

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The immune system is like a mall security system because...

• someone in it watches over the entire building through cameras and looks for burgulars or people that might do harm just like how the immune system looks for cells, virusis, and bacteria that might do harm in the body.
• when a burglar is found, security guards are sent to the location to get rid of them and are informed by someone through walkie talkies similar to how in the immune system when something harmful is found the appendix tells the circulatory system to send over the white blood cells to get rid of the harmfull things.

If the immune system was a mall security system, then the person watching the security camera's would be the appendix since they are what inform the lymphocytes and security guards about where the problem is. The security guards would be the lymphocytes or white blood cells since they both do the actual job of fighting the invaders. The bloodstream that the white blood cells travel through would be the many passages throughout the mall while the security camera's themselves would be the appendix and white blood cells since they are the organs that look for and find the invaders.                                                                        

Structure and Function: Tonsils

The functions of your tonsils is to trap bacteria and virusis you might breath in. They are the first line of defense in your immune system. How does the structure of it help it perform these functions?

1. You have two tonsils located on both the right and left side of your throat. The location of the tonsils make sure that they are able to easily capture as much germs as possible in the air that you breathe in. If you only had one tonsil, it wouldn't really be able to efficiently capture the bacteria, and viruses.
2. The tonsils are also squishy and flexible instead of hard and stiff. This also allows them to more efficiently capture air since it can cover more area if it is flexible. In addition to that, it's flexibility allows air to more easily travel down your windpipe.

The location as well as flexibility of the tonsils allow them to efficiently perform their function.

Sources:

http://www.immune-system-expert.com/immune-organs.html

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/systems_immune.html