What are lymphocytes?

lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells that are an important part of the immune system. Lymphocytes can prevent the body from infection as they can distinguish their own cells from foreign. Once they recognize foreign material in the body, they produce chemicals to destroy this material.

Two types of lymphocytes are produced in bone marrow before birth. B lymphocytes, also called b cells, remain in the bone marrow until they are ripe. Once mature, it spreads all over the body and concentrates in the spleen and lymph nodes. T lymphocytes, or t cells, leave bone marrow and mature in the thymus, gland found in the chest. Only ripe lymphocytes can make immune responses. Any molecule recognized by the body as foreign is called antigen. Lymphocyte, whether B or T, is only specific for one type of antigen. Only when the appropriate antigen -red cell is stimulated.

There are two main types of T lymphocytes and each plays a separate role in the immune system. Killer t cells looking for bodieso to cells infected with antigens. When the killer t cell recognizes the antigen attached to the body cell, it connects to the surface of the infected cell. It then eliminates toxic chemicals into the cell and kills both antigen and infected cell.

Help cells

t release the chemical, called cytokine, when activated by antigen. These chemicals then stimulate B lymphocytes to start an immune response. When the B cell is activated, it produces proteins that fight antigens called antibodies. Antibodies are only specific to one antigen, so there are many B cell types in the body.

For the first time, he meets antigen, primary immune response, the reaction is slow. After the tpid cells have been stimulated, B cells begin to replicate and become either plasma cells or memory cells. Plasma cells produce antibodies to fight antigen, but the antigen also has time to multiply. The effect of antigen on buThe body is what causes symptoms of the disease. Initially, it may take days or even weeks to create enough antibodies to defeat the attacking material.

Plasma cells continue to multiply during infection and produce antibodies, but do not live too long. Plasma cells die within a few days. Antibodies remain a little longer in the system, but usually break up within a week. Memory cells remain much longer in the body than plasma cells and antibodies, often for years. They are important to ensure immunity.

If the antigen again infects the body, the memory cells react almost immediately. They start to multiply immediately and become plasma cells. This causes antibodies to be produced practically immediately. In these later inferechcces, the answer is so fast that symptoms can be prevented. This is known as a secondary immune response and gives people immunity to illness.