Do you know about the T cells production and maturation?
In a nutshell, T cells are a part of our immune system; they hold a profoundly important role in it.
I'm not going to talk about pure Immunology, for I lack the knowledge of it. It's not my area of expertise - not that I'm an expert at anything, though. But I'm currently taking the Immunology class at college. When I was studying for mid-exam, I learned something that made me think about how some processes occurring in our immune system resemble some processes of our life in general. I hope this won't be as tedious as you might think hehe.
It begins with the stem cells that are produced in the bone marrow. Long story short, those stem cells will differentiate to become either B cells or T cells. The interesting part is that in the maturation process of T cells, they undergo something that can be called as an "education." Seriously, even the tiny, tiny parts of our body undergo education too! In fact, they experience not only education but also selection. If you're curious about what kind of education and selection that T cells undergo, keep reading. If you're not, I suggest that you keep reading anyway, because it won't hurt.
The T cells are educated to know with which molecules they should bind. A mature, properly working T cell only binds to self-MHC molecules and foreign antigens. (Antigen is any molecule that can interact with the components of the immune system, that may cause the immune system to respond or react. MHC is a cell protein that's important for T cell-related immune response.) T cells are 'educated' that they must only recognise self-MHC molecules and foreign antigens, and bind with them, NOT with self-antigens. No, Sir. Then, the selection begins. Any T cell that strongly binds with a self-antigen will ... die. (This cell death is called apoptosis.) Gone is the chance of becoming a mature, properly functional T cell.
"But Vira, what's the correlation between these T cell thingy and the so-called intricacy of our life? Where's the human nature of it?"
Wait for a while, people! I'm still thinking about it myself! Kidding. I have an idea, I just struggle to expand that idea to be something interesting and understandable, something that makes sense, something that's ... well, longer than just an idea.
(Please ignore this paragraph.)
But the correlation is already implied, my friends! Read between the lines. In fact, I've said it. Unclear as it is, but I've said it.
We're all aware that we humans undergo education and selection just like some of the minuscule parts of our body - I'm referring to the T cells. It's saying something. It's saying that education is indeed important for us human beings.
Why?
