NIE: HealthRocks

Bone Marrow Bone marrow is a spongy substance found in bones. Bone marrow is an important part of your immune system because it is responsible for creating another type of white blood cells, or leukocytes, called lymphocytes. These valuable lymphocytes are further categorized into types called B cells and T cells. The B cells stay in the bone marrow to fully mature while the T cells move to the thymus to mature. Thymus Your thymus is a gland found just below your neck. Its purpose is to further develop T cells after they are created on your bone marrow. The T cells are then ready to fight off infection. Think of the thymus as a train- ing camp for an important sports game. Spleen Your spleen is located in your abdominal cavity and is the largest lymphatic organ. Similar to your lymph nodes but larger and filled with blood, your spleen fills with B and T white blood cells that protect your body by removing harmful foreign bodies from your blood stream. Instead of filtering lymphatic fluid like the lymph nodes, it filters blood. Lymphocytes: B and T Cells Now that you know how important B and T cells are in protecting your body from harmful bacteria, let’s take a closer look at their individual functions. The B cells that develop and mature in your bone marrow are capable of killing invasive bacteria and also launching a further attack. Each type of B cell watches out for a particular germ. When the B cells see the germ, they produce antibodies that lock onto the trapped germs’ antigens, similar to a jigsaw puzzle. Once locked, the antibodies neutralize the antigens. Other cells see that the neutral- ized germs need to be destroyed and join the fight. B cells are great at identifying and signaling an attack of germs, but the killers and helpers in the process are the T cells. Both types of T cells, helper and killer, are produced in the bone marrow and developed in the thymus but each has their separate function. Helper T cells instruct B cells to produce more antibodies when a germ attacks. Like sound- ing an alarm, the work of the T cells speeds up the immune process. Helper T cells are always on the lookout for attacking germs, much like guards protecting an important build- ing. They can also identify cells which are different from healthy cells such as those which could turn into dangerous diseases. While helper T cells are extremely beneficial in identifying and notifying B cells of invasive bacteria, they don’t have the power to destroy these bacteria. That is the job of killer T cells. Once the killer T cells are instructed to attack, they can quickly kill the pre- identified antigens. They also help to eliminate good cells which have been infected. So, if helper T cells are the guards, killer T cells are the soldiers. What other comparisons can you think of that help to illustrate the role of B cells, helper T cells and killer T cells? An additional type of cell which is extremely important in protecting your body over time is the memory cell. Memory cells remember antigens that have already attacked the body so the body can more quickly destroy infected cells if they reappear. By helping the body fight off new attacks by a specific antigen you are saving yourself from being attacked by the same virus multiple times. This is why you will only have certain viruses, such as chicken pox, once. Support your team by boosting your immunity. Nobody likes getting sick, and your immune system can work a lot better with a little help from you. Here are some tips to help your body’s “team” fight disease. 1. Get plenty of sleep. While babies and children need more sleep than adults, every adult is a little different. Most children ages 8-18 need between 8-11 hours of sleep. As you’re getting ready for bed, be sure that you’re not using a device with a lighted screen like a TV, computer or phone. Research has shown that exposure to screen light can cause you to have difficulty falling asleep. 2. Visit the doctor. Regular check-ups can catch early signs of infection. Getting shots and vaccinations can help protect you from diseases like measles. 3 . Exercise regularly. Keep your bones and muscles strong with regular exercise both in gym class and with family and friends. Exercising outdoors is a bonus because sunshine gives you a boost of vitamin D. 4 . Eat healthy foods. There are many nutritious foods that are beneficial to your immune system.