Читать книгу 100 Ways to Boost Your Immune System - Theresa Cheung, Theresa Cheung - Страница 7

The key components of your immune system are the thymus and the lymph system, together with the spleen, bone marrow, white blood cells and antibodies.

The thymus is the source of T cells. T cells – a type of white blood cell or lymphocyte – are the foot-soldiers of your immune system. They destroy invaders that have been detected by B cells, another type of white blood cell. The lymph system transports nutrients to cells and filters waste. Lymph nodes are collections of lymphoid cells found throughout the body, including the neck, armpits and groin. They are connected by a network of lymph-carrying vessels and are the main sites of storage, activation and production of white blood cells.

The spleen filters the blood, looking out for invaders, and also carries out regular ‘MOT checks’ on red blood cells. Bone marrow is the source of new red and white blood cells. White blood cells are actually a collection of cells that work together to destroy bacteria and viruses. There are numerous types of white blood cells: leukocytes, helper T cells, natural killer cells and so on. Finally, there are five primary types of antibody, known as ‘immunoglobins’, each of which responds and binds to a specific invader, preventing it from entering host cells. We need huge quantities of antibodies to protect us from the constant and daily bombardment of bacteria we unknowingly inhale or digest in our food.