Immune System
Immune and lymphatic system health is necessary for protecting your body from germs and diseases. Known as the bodys first line of defense, your immune system and lymphatic system help protect you from bacteria, viruses and fungi that cause disease.
Your lymphatic system produces and carries white blood cells containing antibodies that fight off infection. Your lymphatic system transports and destroys dead or damaged cells and cancer cells, removing these substances from the blood stream.
Problems with your immune and lymphatic system can result in various diseases. A weakened immune system can lead to diseases including cancer, the flu and chronic fatigue syndrome. An overactive immune system can lead to diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), Huntingdons disease and lupus.
Allergies occur when your immune system mistakes harmless substances for threats and attacks these harmless substances.
Recently Answered
- Q Are immunity-boosting products effective?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineToday, it isn't too hard to find food products, packaged drinks, and even menu items that are labeled as "supporting immunity," "boosting immunity," or providing a "defense" against germs. Most of these products just contain vitamins and minerals... Full Answer
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- Q What is immunosenescence?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineResearchers suggest that with age, the immune system loses some of its firepower in a process known as immunosenescence. Current research suggests a couple of explanations for immunosenescence. First, as it ages, the bone marrow, from which all... Full Answer
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- Q What organs can be affected by autoimmune diseases?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineThe following are some autoimmune diseases and their target organs: Blood: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia Autoimmune thrombocytopenia Pernicious anemia Blood vessels: Antiphospholipid syndrome Behcet's disease Temporal arteritis Uveitis... Full Answer
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- Q Why might the immune system reject a transplanted organ?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineA transplant organ is seen as foreign because the tissues of the donor organ don't match the tissues of the recipient at a cellular level. Such tissue matching depends on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, the molecules that... Full Answer
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- Q How do the various T cells function in the immune system?
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Lymphocytes are different from other types of white blood cells because they recognize and remember invading bacteria and viruses. T lymphocytes, or T cells, are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. T cells come in many types with specific functions,... Full Answer
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- Q How can I boost my immune system to fight flu and infections?
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Dr. Maoshing Ni, GerontologyEncourage your body to fight flu and other infections by giving it the care it needs: Get at least seven hours of quality sleep every night. Studies show that your immune system function drops by an average of 60% after just three nights of poor sleep.... Full Answer
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- Q How can I improve my immune system?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineFollowing general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults... Full Answer
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- Q What are memory T cells and B cells?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineMemory T cells and B cells are immune cells that remain in the body after initial infection and retain a memory of a pathogen. Memory cells fire up a fast and powerful immune response when the pathogen appears again. Full Answer
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- Q How do B cells help fight infection?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineB cells recognize their specific antigen on the surface of the invading pathogen or recognize toxins secreted by pathogens. Then, some B cells clone into memory B cells, while others multiply as plasma cells, which generate antibodies that bind... Full Answer
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- Q How does a baby's immune system develop?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineDuring birth, babies emerge from a sterile, germ-free environment in the womb and rapidly pick up the bacteria and other microbes from the mother's birth canal and then from the world at large. In those early months, a child's immune system... Full Answer
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