Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Reflection#3: Semester Review - Week 15 (April 23, 2010)
Investigation#3: Aged Thymus - Week 14 (April 16, 2010)
The aging process affects all aspects of the immune system, particularly the T cells. The immune system in older individuals is often characterized by lower T cell numbers, lower naive/memory T cell ratios, and lower T cell diversity. Most measures of inflammation increase with age. Why this happens, and why there is so much person-to-person variability in these changes, is not known. In this issue oftheJCl, Sauce and colleagues show that removal of the thymus during infancy results in premature onset of many of these age-associated changes to the immune system (see the related article beginning on page 3070). The effect of thymectomy was particularly notable in those individuals who acquired CMV infection. Data from this study, as well as data from other observational settings, suggest that reduced thymic function and persistent viral infections combine to accelerate a decline in immunologic function.
I learned that our immune system can lose their function as we get old. We need to do exercises and get proper nutrition to keep our immune system healthy for long time.
Citation: Gress, Ronald E.; Deeks, Steven G.. Reduced thymus activity and infection prematurely age the immune system. Journal of Clinical Investigation, Oct2009, Vol. 119 Issue 10, p2884-2887.
Encounter#3: Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water - Week 13 (April 9, 2010)
Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water
Dictionary#3: Syngenic & Congenic - Week 12 (April 2, 2010)
e.g.) syngenic tumor cells, grafts between syngenic mice
Congenic: denoting individuals that differ genetically at a single genetic locus or region
Investigation#2: Anti IgE and IgE-producing B cell - Week 11 (Mar 26, 2010)
I am curious about allergy response related to IgE. I actually could not fully understand about this primary research article but I can see that the relationship between anti-IgE and B-cell could make alternate medication for allergic asthma.
Citation: Davies, J. M.. Altered immunoglobulin E diversity and regulation of allergic inflammation in asthma. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Apr2009, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p455-457
Encounter#2: Allergy and Air Purifier - Week 10 (Mar 19, 2010)
Reflections#2: Fatigue and Damaged Immune System - Week 7 (Feb 26, 2010)
I was sick during the ‘snowmageddon’ and exhausted after thousands of snow plowing. Severe fatigue seemed to make me sick and it also gave a lot of damage on my immune system. It seemed like chronic fatigue syndrome and my immune system responded poorly to other infections. Because of those, I could not go to school for a week and it also ruined my normal life rhythm.