Page 94 - The Miracle of the Blood and Heart

THE MIRACLE OF THE
BLOOD AND HEART

body is first "handcuffed" by means of this technique, and
then neutralized and eliminated. The method is particularly
systematic, and sufficiently effective to be able to eliminate all
kinds of foreign bodies.
The cells that carry out the process of phagocytosis are
generally referred to as phagocytes. As we have already seen,
their most important feature is that they behave just like ratio-
nal entities, monitor their surroundings and immediately
eliminate hostile cells, allowing them no opportunity to flee or
survive. These cells break down and digest the hostile cell by
absorbing it with the help of their pseudopods, or "false feet."
But how do these cells identify a foreign substance that has
invaded the body? This is particularly important because all
the microscopic cells in the body bear a close resemblance to
one another. So how do phagocytes make the distinction?
The body's natural structures possess smooth, phagocyto-
sis-resistant surfaces. There is particular wisdom and signifi-
cance in how God has endowed the body's natural cells with
naturally smooth, phagocytosis-resistant surfaces.
Smoothness sends the message that the cell in question is
friendly, while phagocytes generally identify aggressor cells
from their surfaces. However, if a roughness should appear on
the surface of this friendly cell for any reason, then there is no
way of halting the phagocytes. The body's own tissue will be
destroyed by its own defense force.
In addition to their smooth coating, a great many of the
body's natural structures also possess a protective protein coat
that repels phagocytes. That coat has a special and really
miraculous defense system, while there is no such
protective coat around the foreign particles and
Harun dead tissues that represent the phagocytes' prey.
Yahya

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