Page 108 - The Miracle in the Immune System

106 THE MIRACLE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

they had to go to the doctor's to undergo such a
check-up on the merest hint of infection.
Let us suppose that timely intervention was possible
and the type and location of antigens could be identified
precisely. Depending on the type of the enemy, first the
phagocytes have to be activated. How can phagocytes
be directed to rush to the exact location? What kind of
a message would help them to locate the enemy easily?
Let us suppose that the impossible became the possible.
Then comes the time to learn whether the phagocytes
have won the war or not. Depending on the result, ei-
ther the macrophages will be launched or the war will
be stopped. No doubt, the only possible solution lies
with visiting the doctor again and having a thorough
check-up. If the war has not been won, the secondary
forces, that is, the macrophages, must be sent to the
area of conflict. Meanwhile, the time spent on the
check-up would work against us. Without losing any
time, the macrophages have to tear a piece off the ene-
my and warn the helper T cells. The helper T cells will
in turn warn the killer T cells, thus initiating another
struggle. These cells, too, must be checked on as to
whether they are successful or not — for which, again,
a doctor's help is needed — and then the NK cells must
be called in for assistance. After a final examination, it
will be determined if the defence system has been ef-
fective in defeating the infection.
If man were asked to control only his defence sys-
tem and nothing else, he would have to be involved in
such a complicated and difficult process. Even a simple
common cold would require him to go to the doctor's