YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM: WHAT ARE LYMPHOCYTES?
Lymphocytes are special kinds of white blood cells associated with the lymph tissue of the body. (“Lymph” refers to lymph tissue, “cyte” to cells.) Lymphoid tissue is a specialized complex of tissue in the body.
There are two main categories of lymphocytes: Tlymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. Tlymphocytes are called T-cells because they receive their programming from the thymus gland. Like the phagocytes, T-cells engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. B-lymphocytes, called B-cells, are more like artillery. From their positions in the lymph tissue, B-cells set in motion the machinery that manufactures “guided missiles” (antibodies), which home in on and destroy antigens.
The lymphoid tissues of your body, where the T- and B-cells “live,” include the bone marrow, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary tract, tonsils, the many lymph nodes all over the body, and the thymus gland. (Tap the middle part of your breast bone with your finger. The thymus is located right under your finger.)
Picture a lymph gland in your mind; imagine that it is a fort, full of T-cells and B-cells awaiting instructions. When they get their battle orders, they eagerly study them, scrutinizing and memorizing the features of their enemy: the antigens.
Then an amazing thing happens. Certain T and B-cells swing into action, and the lymphocytic “assembly lines” spew out weapon after weapon. Meanwhile, other lymphocytes are acting like computers, receiving and storing information about these antigens. If they ever come back, your immune system will be ready for them.
What are these marvelous weapons? Sensitized T-cells and B-cell antibodies. Let’s begin with a look at the T-cells, then examine the B-cells.
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Tags: General health