The Immune System: Fight Against Pathogens And Disease

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The immune system serves to protect and fight against pathogens and disease.
The first line of defense used in the immune system is physical barriers. The first physical barrier is the skin. The skin has sebum (oil) which is on the skin’s surface making it acidic and making many pathogens unable to grow on it. Sweat also contains special enzymes to attack bacteria, killing it, and making it unable to spread. The second physical barrier is Mucus Membranes which covers majority of internal body structures making it hard for pathogens to affect these systems. It also produces a thick fluid called mucus that traps pathogens before they start in infect. The second line of defense is when pathogens make it past the physical barriers causing your …show more content…

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands and are distributed through the body from the bloodstream to affect different parts of the body based on which hormone fits with which receptor and target cells. Hypothalamus is a part of the brain responsible for the direct control of the endocrine system through the Pituitary Gland. The Pituitary Gland is a small lump of tissue connected to the hypothalamus surrounded by blood vessels which carry the released hormones throughout the body. Another gland in the endocrine system is the Thyroid gland, this regulates your metabolism (ability to break down food) by releasing thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus control the thyroid by watching its hormone levels. If the hormone levels drop the hypothalamus secretes a hormone which alerts the pituitary gland and informs it to produce thyroid stimulating hormones, which allows the thyroid to produce more hormones. The endocrine system uses feedback mechanisms in order to control …show more content…

It carries food, liquids, and saliva to the stomach from the mouth. The stomach is a muscular organ on the left side of the upper abdomen. After the esophagus delivers the foods and liquids, the stomach secretes acids and enzymes to digest the food then the stomach pumps the food and liquids into the intestines. The liver filters blood from the digestive tract and secretes bile that goes into the intestines after detoxifying chemicals and metabolizing drugs. The gallbladder is under the liver and stores and recycles excess Bile from the small intestine so it can be used again in digestion. Bile is a fluid that helps with digestion by breaking down fats into fatty acids which is then taken into the body by the digestive tract. The pancreas is a large gland that secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestines in order to complete chemical digestion. The small intestine is a long thin tube that contains many folds which help to digest food and absorb nutrients. The large intestine is a long thick tube that absorbs water and contains symbiotic bacteria that helps to break down wastes and extract nutrients. Poop in the large intestine leave through the anus. The villus is located inside of the small intestines, they increase the surface area of the small intestine and absorb

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