Immune System
The human immune system is one of the most important organ systems in the human organism. The primary purpose of the immune system is to distinguish self from non-self and further eliminate the latter from
the organism (the non-self is usually referred to as antigens). Another purpose of the immune system is to destroy or neutralize the microorganisms that get into the body from the internal environment (Muscari, 2004, p.114). At this, the system should be extremely balanced for it has to destroy the invaders and preserve the host microorganisms that are vital for the overall functioning of the human organism. Thus, the increased immune activity may lead to damaging the healthy tissues, while the decreased one leaves the body open for infections.
The immune system, unlike other organ systems, is not restricted to definite organs in the human body. It consists of lymphoid tissues that are spread throughout the body (mostly skin, bones, and intestines). Lymphoid tissues can be primary and secondary. Primary (or central) tissues generate lymphocytes; they include red bone marrow and the thymus. Redbone marrow is contained at the end of all the long bones; it produces such cells as leukocytes the function of which is to recognize and function invaders. The thymus gland, in its turn, serves as a reservoir for leukocytes which travel there from the bone marrow during infancy and mature there. The cells that originate in primary lymphoid tissues migrate to the peripheral lymphoid organs and tissues, such as lymphoid nodes, spleen, and mucous membranes including gut-associated tonsils, appendix, and Peyer’s patches (Murphy, Travers, Janeway, & Walport, 2008). The main function of the spleen is to remove old or deteriorated blood cells. Lymphoid nodes absorb dead cells and organisms’ waste products, as well as they, produce lymphocytes and antibodies which help fight the infections. Finally, mucous membranes cover and protect those parts of the body which have access to the outside environment.
Digestive System
The digestive system is no less important than the immune one because it helps the organism get proper nutrition. It consists of a complex set of organs and glands that process food. Processing the food is extremely necessary because, for the organism to get nutritious substances
which it needs for normal functioning, the food needs to be broken down into small molecules. Each of the organs which constitute the digestive system assists in this process. In the oral cavity, for instance, the food is broken down into small pieces (using chewing) and saturated with salivary enzymes (which facilitate further digestion). Then the food goes down the pharynx to the esophagus which moves it into the stomach. In the stomach, the food is mixed with acid and partly digested into the chyme. The subsequent digestion of the food takes place in the small intestine; then the food is passed to the large intestine where it is deprived of water and electrolytes (the microorganisms present in the large intestine help in this process). The waste is then stored in the rectum until it is released through the anus.
Immune and Digestive Systems Interaction
All the organ systems in the human organism are interdependent. Interaction of the immune and digestive systems is inevitable for the food which a person consumes contains the elements which make the immune system organs function properly. Correspondingly, if a person has problems with digestion, the problems with the immune system are inevitable. If there are not enough pancreatic enzymes for the digestion of food, the enzymes are borrowed from the immune system (Blair, 2004), which tangibly weakens the latter and lowers the level of protection which the immune system ensures the organism with. Moreover, poor digestion increases the body’s toxic load, which is stressful for the immune system. High toxic load exhausts the immune system making it vulnerable and unable to fight infections. This results in numerous disorders of other organ systems and a poor physical (and sometimes mental) state of the organism.
Other immune problems which may be caused by the digestive ones are endotoxins and autoimmune disorders. The use of antibiotics can lead to digestive disorders for they destroy not only harmful bacteria but healthy gut spheres as well. This may lead to dysbacteriosis and the like diseases that, in their turn, affect the immune system. The matter is that antibiotics may cause bacterial overgrowth, which may lead to the accumulation of endotoxins (these toxins are produced within the body). These endotoxins then destroy connections between different cells of the immune system making it deficient and lowering its resistance to infections, as well as making some cells unable to attack the invaders. In other words, the immune system simply stops working.
Leaky gut is another digestive problem that may damage the immune system and even lead to autoimmune diseases. Leaky gut is the damage to the lining of the intestines which makes their content pass through into the bloodstream. This may result in immune response, which further leads to autoimmune disorders and production of the antibodies which attack the organism’s cells.
Reference List
Blair, J. (2004). Dear God, why am I so tired? Longwood/Florida: Xulon Press. De Castro, L.N. & Timmis, J. (2002). Artificial immune systems: a new computational intelligence approach. London: Springer.
Murphy, K.P., Travers, P., Janeway, C. , & Walport, M. (2008). Janeway’s immunobiology. New York and London: Garland Science.
Muscari, M.E. (2004). Pediatric nursing. Philadelphia : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.