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The Immune System Explained

Every second of your life you are under attack. Bacteria, viruses, spores and more living stuff wants to enter your body and use its resources for itself. The immune system is a powerful army of cells that fights like a T-Rex on speed and sacrifices itself for your survival. Without it you would die in no time. This sounds simple but the reality is complex, beautiful and just awesome.

Posted 10 years ago by crabstickz in category: interesting

Comments (5)

(guest) - 10 years ago [ Reply ]

So this just evolved did it? The insanely complex and incredibly vital immune system was merely a fortunate genetic mutation upshot? Hard to think such complex technology was just through a genetic mutation But I guess the life that had this wonderful genetic upshot would have obviously survived better then then life that didn't have this because of course life that didn't have this would all be dead. Oh wait...

Reply to this post:

heftygrain - 10 years ago

Yup. And it took millions of years to become so complex. Like kuy2gnu explained, it is evolution that drove it. It's simply survival of the fittest, and it's based on many more than only one mutation. The invidivuals with those mutations that led to a better defence of the body survived, growing more complex with each mutation through all the species that eventually became homo sapiens.

kuy2gnu - 10 years ago [ Reply ]

Well, "Guest"... You'de be amazed to know that immune cells do use actively random mutations to achieve perfect match against pathogens. In fact, one could describe affinity maturation of antibodies through directed mutations as an example of adaptation by pressure of selection, which it is. So if you want to "prove" that evolution is invalid by using a biological system that uses evolutive processes to achieve high level of diversity, i think your point is completely invalid. PS: i have a PhD in immunology

Reply to this post:

(guest) - 10 years ago

You're explaining how a system already in place already works. It doesn't explain how the system got there in the first place. A fortunate genetic mutation? Sorry, a little unbelievable I'm afraid. And what happened before the immune system evolved to exist? It's a fairly vital system. But of course, this incredibly vital and intelligent system will just be put down to a fortunate genetic mutation. What are the chances

kuy2gnu - 10 years ago

Sorry, guest, but how the immune system evolved is broadly understood. We can follow its evolution through genetic and proteic analysis of existing species. You have to understand that the immune system didn't "pop" into existence. As you pointed out, the immune system is quite vital. It co-evolved with pathogens, as the challenge for survival complexified. You cannot think "once there was life and then immune system evolved". Even bacteria have some form of "immune system" based on the elimination of surronding bacteria. Ever heard of penicillin? Well it can be viewed as a component of the immune system of a fungi. Technically, you cannot think of life "before the immune system evolved to exist". In fact, immune system is evolution at its finest. It's not "intelligent". It's not "technology". It's a biological system based on physical and chemical properties and driven by evolution through selective pressure.