Lymphocytes

toc = Definition: = The white blood cells--including B and T cells---that are the key components of the immune system. p.326 Gen Psych, Chapter 10 pp.325-326

= Examples: = T cells derive their name from the thymus gland where they are produced. B cells produce proteins called antibodies, which are highly effective in destroying antigens that live in the bloodstream and in the fluid surrounding body tissues. All cells foreign to the body, such as bacteria, viruses, and so on are known as antigens. For defeating harmful foreign invaders that have taken up residence inside the body's cells, however, T cells are critically important.

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=In the News:= [|Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia] C **hronic lymphocytic leukemia ** (CLL) is a disease characterized by high numbers of circulating abnormal lymphocytes (B-Cells) in the peripheral blood. The disease often involves enlargement of lymph nodes in various parts of the body as well as enlargement of the spleen. In CLL the marked elevation of lymphocytes in the blood is partially due to a prolonged survival of abnormal lymphocytes compared to normal lymphocytes.

[|Study looks at DNA sequences for receptors in T lymphocytes]

Our immune system must be tremendously complex to respond to the unending assault of viruses, bacteria and cancerous cells. One of the mechanisms used by the immune system to cope with the huge variety of possible threats is to randomly combine DNA segments for the production of receptors on lymphocytes - a type of white blood cell.

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