Dr. Igor Gamow is an outstanding scientist and doctor of sciences who has made significant contributions to the field of immunology. In this article, Dr. Gamow will discuss the different types of immune cells and their functions in the body.
The immune system is a complex network of cells and organs that work together to protect the body from foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The immune system is composed of several types of cells, each with a specific function:
-T lymphocytes (or T cells) are a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in cell-mediated immunity, which is the branch of the immune system that attacks infected or cancerous cells. There are two main types of T cells: helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells. Helper T cells produce cytokines (small proteins that regulate cell growth and differentiation) that activate other immune cells, while cytotoxic Tcells directly kill infected or cancerous cells by releasing toxic chemicals called lytic enzymes.
-B lymphocytes (or B Cells) are another type of white blood cell that produces antibodies, which are proteins that recognize and bind to foreign substances in the body such as bacteria and viruses. Antibodies neutralize these foreign substances or mark them for destruction by other immune cells.
B Cells mature into plasma cells, which secrete large amounts of antibodies into the bloodstream.
-Natural killer (NK) Cells are a typeof white blood cell that kills virus-infected or cancerouscells as well as transplanted organs or tissues from another individual. NKcells release lytic enzymes similar to those released by cytotoxicTcells, but they do not require prior activation by helperTcells orother immune signals before attacking their targets..
Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most abundant antibody in human serumand it provides protection against bacterial infectionsby bindingto toxins secreted by bacteria