Page 81 - The Miracle in the Immune System

Cells On Duty In The System 79

later be used in the manufacture of antibodies.
The transformation of B cells rapidly goes on. Upon
an order coming from an unknown source, cells pro-
duce proteins called "alfa" and "beta", which surround
the cell membrane. At a further level, a range of compli-
cated processes are due to take place in the cell to ena-
ble it to produce some molecules that will enable it to
bind to antigens. At the end of all these complicated op-
erations, the cells turn into a factory that recognises the
enemy as soon as it makes contact with it, and is able
produce millions of different weapons.

Can Every B Cell That Has Been
Manufactured Stay Alive?
The more we delve into the details of the defence sys-
tem, the more miracles we encounter. As stated before,
B cells manufacture antibodies. Antibodies are weapons
that are manufactured purely to cause harm to enemy
cells. So, what happens if the weapons produced by the B
cell confuse their targets and start to hit friendly cells?
In that case, the other cells send a signal inside the B
cell. This signal is actually an order for the cell to "commit
suicide". Eventually, some enzymes in the nucleus of the
cell are activated and they decompose the DNA of the
cell. A perfectly working auto-control mechanism pro-
tects the body, and finally, only the B cells that produce
antibodies that cause harm to the enemy can stay alive.
Only comprised of a compact nucleus and very little
cytoplasm initially, the B cells undergo unbelievable
changes when they meet an antigen. They divide repeat-
edly and build up thousands of assembly points in their