Page 34 - The Miracle in the Immune System

32 THE MIRACLE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Who Are Our Micro Enemies?
Our micro enemies, on the other hand, are micro-
organisms, which are not a part of our bodies, yet
which have somehow penetrated our bodies, eventually
stimulating the defence army therein.
Every foreign cell that enters the body is not, howe-
ver treated as an enemy. Foreign matter constantly en-
ters our bodies as we eat, drink water, or take medicine.
Yet our body does not initiate a war with it. In order for
the defence cells to perceive a foreign substance as an
enemy, certain conditions are taken into consideration
such as the size of the molecule, its rate of elimination
from the body, and its way of entering the body.

Bacteria

Among our innumerable micro en-
emies, bacteria have an estab-
lished reputation.
Bacteria, which enter the
human body in multiple ways,
instigate a fierce war in the
body. Sometimes ending up
with quite serious illnesses,
these wars explicitly reveal
The magnified view of bacteria
the power and ability hidden
on the tip of a needle.
in an organism the size of a
few microns (a micron is one thousandth of a millime-
ter). Recent research has shown that bacteria have an
extraordinary resistance even to the most severe and
harsh conditions. Particularly, the bacteria known as
spores are resistant to extremely high temperatures