Immune System

An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an organism that protects against infection by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of pathogens, such as viruses and parasitic worms and distinguishes them from the organism's normal cells and tissues. Detection is complicated as pathogens adapt and evolve new ways to successfully infect the host organism.

To survive this challenge, several mechanisms have evolved that recognize and neutralize pathogens. The immune systems of vertebrates such as humans consist of many types of proteins, cells, organs, and tissues, which interact in an elaborate and dynamic network. As part of this more complex immune response, the vertebrate system adapts over time to recognize particular pathogens more efficiently. The adaptation process creates immunological memories and allows even more effective protection during future encounters with these pathogens. This process of acquired immunity is the basis of vaccination.

COMPONENTS OF IMMUNE SYSTEM

Lymph System	passive system fluids ooze into the lymph system and get pushed by normal body and muscle motion to the lymph nodes lymph is blood plasma, i.e. the liquid that makes up blood minus the red and white cells lymph is a clearish liquid that bathes the cells with water and nutrients, and detect and remove bacteria form cell fluids when fighting certain bacterial infections, the lymph nodes swell with bacteria and the cells fighting the bacteria, to the point where you can actually feel them
Thymus	lymphoid organ located between breast bone and heart. it produces T-cells especially important in newborn babies
Spleen	it filters the blood looking for foreign cells
Bone marrow	it produces new blood cells from stem cells, both red and white in the case of red blood cells the cells are fully formed in the marrow and then enter the bloodstream in the case of some white blood cells, the cells mature elsewhere
Antibodies	they are produced by white blood cells they are Y-shaped proteins that each respond to a specific antigen (bacteria, virus or toxin)
Complement System	the complement system, like antibodies, is a series of proteins complements are manufactured in the liver the complement proteins are activated by and work with the antibodies they cause lysing (bursting) of cells and signal to phagocytes that a cell needs to be removed
Hormones	there are several hormones generated by components of the immune system, known generally as lymphokines certain hormones, like steroids and corticosteroids, suppress the immune system. tymosin is a hormone that encourages lymphocyte production interleukins are another type of hormone generated by white blood cells
Tumor Necrosis Factor	produced by macrophages it is able to kill tumor cells, and it also promotes the creation of new blood vessels so it is important to healing
Interferon	interferon interferes with viruses and is produced by most cells in the body their job is to let cells signal to one another: when a cell detects interferon from other cells, it produces proteins that help prevent viral replication in the cell
White Blood Cells	the most important part of the immune system they act like independent, living single-cell organisms able to move and capture things on their own many white blood cells cannot divide and reproduce on their own, but thanks to bone marrow white blood cells are a whole collection of different cells that work together to destroy bacteria and viruses each of the different types of white blood cells have a special role in the immune system, and many are able to transform themselves in different ways there're different type of white blood cells, including leukocytes (all white blood cells are known officially as leukocytes); lymphocytes (handle most of the bacterial and viral infections that we get. Lymphocytes start in the bone marrow); monocytes; granulocytes; B-cells ( mature in bone marrow;when stimulated, mature into plasma cells. A specific B cell is tuned to a specific germ); plasma cells; T-cells (mature in thymus; bump up against cells and kill them); helper T-cells; killer T-cells; suppressor T-cells; natural killer cells; neutrophils (the most common white cell in the body; once in the bloodstream neutrophils can move through capillary walls into tissue. Neutorphils are attracted to foreign material, inflammation and bacteria); eosinophils (focused on parasites in the skin and the lungs); basophils (carry histamine and therefore important-along with mast cells-to causing inflammation); phagocytes; and macrophages (most boundary tissue has its own devoted macrophages; one of their jobs is to clean up dead neutrophils)

Disorders in the immune system can cause disease.
Following up, the most common diseases of immune system.

DISORDERS OF IMMUNE SYSTEM

Immunodeficiency Diseases	occur when the immune system is less active than normal, resulting in recurring and life-threatening infections it can either be the result of a genetic disease, such as severe combined immunodeficiency, or be produced by pharmaceuticals or an infection, such as the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) that is caused by the retrovirus HIV
Autoimmune Diseases	result from a hyperactive immune system attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign organisms common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus type 1 and lupus erythematosus
Allergies	in people with allergies, the immune system strongly reacts to an allergen that should be ignored
Attack to transplanted tissues/organs	when the foreign tissue is placed inside your body, its cells do not contain the correct identification the problem cannot be prevented, but can be diminished by carefully matching the tissue donor with the recipient and by using immunosuppressing drugs to try to prevent an immune system reaction

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