1. Catherine S., Colton L., Jonah A., Sophie H.
The Immune System
Catherine S., Colton L., Jonah A., Sophie H.

2. What does the Immune System do?
The essential function is to protect the body from outside organisms and diseases. This system is comprised of a variety of cells and a series of organs that keep running continuously. The immune system protects the body from disease by either purging the body of the unhealthy cells or by destroying them.

3. What is in the immune system
The skin acts as a barrier, a kind of sheath, made of several layers of cells and their related glands. The skin is a dynamic organ that contains different cells which contains elements of the innate and the adaptive immune system which are activated when the tissue is under attack by invading pathogens.
White blood cells, also called leukocytes or leukocytes, are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. All white blood cells are produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a hematopoietic stem cell.

4. Types and Purposes of White Blood Cells
Types: Neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages.
Neutrophils fight off bacterial or fungal infections, acting as the first responders.
Basophils are responsible for allergic and antigen response by releasing a chemical histamine.
Eosinophils are mainly responsible for parasitic infections. They are also the predominant inflammatory cells in allergic reactions.
Lymphocytes produce antibodies that attack disease and destroy the cells that are infected with viruses and disease.
Monocytes can swallow a particle whole by drawing the particle into a vacuole of its cytoplasm acting as a “vacuum cleaner” or phagocytosis function
Monocytes leave the bloodstream to become tissue macrophages, which remove dead cell debris as well as attacking microorganisms.

5. Homeostasis in the Immune system
The immune system maintains homeostasis by not allowing pathogens- or harmful foreign contaminants- to disrupt other systems homeostasis with infection. It maintains this by fighting infections with innate immunity and acquired immunity.

6. Antigens and Antibodies
Antibodies are proteins that destroy pathogens and are made by B-Cells. They can bind to the pathogens membrane proteins, clump the pathogens together to make them easier for another cell to destroy, or they can activate complement proteins that weaken the invading pathogens membrane.
Antigens are markers on cells and viruses that are mades out of protein and allow the antibodies to identify and destroy the pathogen.

7. Innate vs. Acquired (Adaptive) Immunity
Innate Immunity is the body's nonspecific defense against pathogens that serve as a blanket protection without looking to target any specifically harmful particle.
Acquired Immunity is when the body and the white blood cells in it remember a problematic pathogen the first time it enters the body then the second time it can more readily find and keep it from becoming harmful.

8. Immune system and the Cardiovascular system
The Immune system’s white blood cells exist within the veins and arteries of the CardioVascular System allowing for quick transport for the white blood cells and protection for the cardiovascular system which without the cardiovascular system wouldn’t function.

9. How a Vaccine Works
How Vaccines Work: Vaccines work by introducing a weakened form of antigen into the bloodstream and allowing the white blood cells to recognize it and produce antibodies to protect against the disease, despite the fact that it is not a threat at the time. Then if the disease ever infects again the white blood cells recognize the disease as harmful and can defend the body from it. Vaccines work to provide adaptive immunity.
How Vaccines don’t work: They give kids autism

10. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.
Celiac Disease
An autoimmune disease develops when your immune system, which defends your body against disease, decides your healthy cells are foreign. As a result, your immune system attacks healthy cells. Depending on the type, an autoimmune disease can affect one or many different types of body tissue. It can also cause abnormal organ growth and changes in organ function.

11. Hiv/Aids
HIV stand for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and it is a retrovirus - a virus with RNA - that specifically attacks the immune system. HIV is transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids only. As the HIV is transmitted it infiltrates the t-cells- a type of white blood cells- so the patient's immune system can’t fight the disease or other diseases.When the patients t-cell count is low enough HIV is then classified as AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

12. Sources Holt McDougal Biology textbook
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