The immune system in a biological entity entails of certain behaviors, structures, and even processes that in some way protects against potential assault from any outside forces (Jerne, 1974). Focusing on behaviors, a simple gesture, for instance, pulling a tick out of one’s skin, crying and even spitting are all immune response. To be more specific, the act of crying focuses on two primary responses, where it entails the mass elimination of offending agent and antibody response (IgA) to every pathogen in an eye. Additionally, the primary protection when an individual’s skin is damaged is to wash the wound to remove the bulk of bacterial biomass (Kim & Bentley, 1999). On the other hand, structural protective barrier entails the physical defense that prevents pathogens like bacteria and viruses from finding their way into the organism’s body. In an event, a pathogen contravenes this obstacle; the instinctive system will provide a quick but non-specific response. There exist two distinct and active physiological processes activate when an assault occurs in humans protect vital body organs from damage. The essay will critically focus on the human immune system, the major function it plays and immune system disorder and how it affects the quality of life of an individual.
The proper operation of this system is of primary significance to various body systems where it protects the body against any illness and other alien bodies (Cohen, 2007). The immune system is thus an intricate system that can recognize all potential threats to the people's health differentiate the threats from the body’s normal tissues and even get rid of threats hence keeping an individual fit. Various body parts form the immune system including the leukocytes, lymph node, spleen, bone marrow and even lymphocytes and play the critical role in immune purpose. According to Jerne (1974), the lymph nodes are tiny, the bean-shaped structure set up in the individual’s body. Further, they amass immune cells which are responsible for fighting infectivity and illness keeping a person healthy. Additionally, lymphatic system drain into the lymph node and in the process brings foreign antigens to the lymph nodes for processing (Cohen, 2007).
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On the other hand, the spleen contains white blood cells which are responsible for fighting illness and virus. Further, the spleen renews old red blood cells and gets rid of them from an individual’s body. According to Kim & Bentley, (1999), bone marrow is found in spongy bone in the body and manufactures red blood and white blood cells that aid in the fighting of infection. In addition to this, lymphocytes are immune cells that protect the body against all diseases. They are found in the blood, lymph nodes, and the spleen. Leukocytes are simply white blood cells which play the vital role in identifying unknown pathogens in the body and then obliterate them for the immune system to operate appropriately; there is the need for all parts of the system to work together (Cohen, 2007).
The situation where the immune system fails to work appropriately as required is known as immune system disorder. Research has identified three major types of immune system disorders including autoimmune diseases, allergies, and immunodeficiency. There are instances where an individual is born with a weak resistant system a condition called the primary immune deficiency (Cohen, 2007). Secondly, one can get a disease that will weaken his or immune system called acquired immune deficiency. Further an individual might a highly active immune system especially experienced during an allergic reaction. Lastly, one might have an immune system that might in the process turn against him or her, a condition that is referred to as an autoimmune disease. According to Jerne (1974), a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is an immune deficit that is common in childbirth. These offspring are established to be a steady threat of potential infection from fungi, bacteria, and even viruses. The condition is also known as “bubble boy disease.” For in the past years, especially in the 1970s, a child had to survive in a sterile setting within a plastic bubble. Most of these kids are believed to be lacking important white blood cells.
The temporary acquired immune deficiency is where the immune system of an individual is damaged by particular medicine. In most instances, this condition occurs among people on chemotherapy or even drugs that are used in the treatment of cancer. According to Kim & Bentley, (1999), the same condition is also prevalent among people who have undergone an organ transplant and thus take medicine to prevent organ rejection. There are also certain types of infection that weaken the immune system for sometimes including flu virus, mono, and measles. Studies have further pointed out that an individual’s immune system can be weakened by particular types of behaviors including smoking, alcohol, and poor nutrition (Cohen, 2007).
According to Kim & Bentley, (1999), HIV is an acquired viral infection which substantially destroys vital white blood cells and further weakens an individual’s immune system. Research has shown that persons who have HIV/AIDS become very ill with various types of infections that people without HIV/AIDS can fight off much easily. These types of infections have been referred to as “opportunistic infections,” and this is the case because they always take advantage of weak immune systems. According to Abbas, Lichtman & Pillai, (2012), HIV infection is dangerous since the virus attacks an individual’s immune cells and further destroys the immune system. As a result of this, it gives people similar symptoms as those born without the immune system.
Dysregulation of the immune also comprises of autoimmune diseases for instance lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. According to Cohen (2007), immune system disorders have been established to cause autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, and cancer which affect the quality of life of people. Immunodeficiency results in recurring and life-threatening infections. Autoimmunity has also been argued to result from a hyperactive immune system that attacks the common tissues as if they were alien elements. The most common types of autoimmune illness are systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and even diabetes mellitus type 1. It has been shown that human species would not survive for long if they lack immune system because their body’s immune system cannot fight off invading virus (Abbas, Lichtman & Pillai, 2012).
In conclusion, the essay has focused on the significant feature of how the immune system operates. It protects the human body against illnesses and other alien bodies. Therefore, the human immune system protects against potential assault from any outside forces. It has been established that it is a mixed system that can spot all possible dangers to an individual’s health, make a distinction between dangerous foreign bodies from an individual’s healthy tissues and eliminate threats which in the process keeps an individual healthy. There is an instance where the immune system fails to function properly as required a condition that has been termed as immune system disorder. Failure of the human immune system makes an individual prone to various types of diseases that affect the quality of life or even cause death. Some of the three top types of immune system disorders that have been identified include autoimmune diseases, allergies, and immunodeficiency.
References
Abbas, A. K., Lichtman, A. H., & Pillai, S. (2012). Basic immunology: functions and disorders of the immune system . Elsevier Health Sciences.
Cohen, I. R. (2007). Real and artificial immune systems: computing the state of the body. Nature Reviews Immunology , 7 (7), 569-574.
Jerne, N. K. (1974, January). Towards a network theory of the immune system. In Annales d'immunologie (Vol. 125, No. 1-2, pp. 373-389).
Kim, J., & Bentley, P. (1999, September). The human immune system and network intrusion detection. In 7th European Conference on Intelligent Techniques and Soft Computing (EUFIT'99), Aachen, Germany (pp. 1244-1252).
