The immune system is an incredibly complex system, and there are many different types of white blood cells that have different roles in responding to a pathogen such as a virus. I will discuss two general groups of white blood cells: phagocytes and lymphocytes. Within these two groups there are various types of cells, but for our purposes we discuss them using these two terms.
When a pathogen such as a virus enters the body,...
The immune system is an incredibly complex system, and there are many different types of white blood cells that have different roles in responding to a pathogen such as a virus. I will discuss two general groups of white blood cells: phagocytes and lymphocytes. Within these two groups there are various types of cells, but for our purposes we discuss them using these two terms.
When a pathogen such as a virus enters the body, white blood cells known as phagocytes engulf the pathogen and then display antigens, or parts of the virus, on the outside of the phagocyte. This is a way to show the immune system that something foreign has entered the body and may need an additional response.
Lymphocytes, another type of white blood cell, recognize the antigens and get to work mounting a response to that specific pathogen. The lymphocytes make antibodies that attach to the virus. Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins that bind to specific pathogens. These antibodies neutralize the virus by not allowing it to infect other cells and reproduce, and they also mark the viruses for destruction by phagocytes. Eventually the virus is overtaken by the immune system's response.
Some lymphocytes will retain memory of this particular virus and will wait in the lymph nodes to be called into action if that same virus infects the body again. This time, however, the response will be so fast that the virus will be taken care of before the person even knows they were infected. This is what is referred to as being 'immune' to the virus.
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