The Genetics of a Cell's Natural Defense

For years there has been debate and question over just exactly how cells in our bodies fight off disease and infections. The "Immune System" is a broad range of mechanisms and devices within the human body that keep us healthy. However, in a study conducted UC San Diego, the immune defense of intestinal cells was studied. Using the roundworm  C. elegans, scientists were able to study the exact mechanisms of how infection was fought. The worm was ideal for the study because of its physical transparency, and similarity to human cells.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="360" caption="A Cell's Immune System at Work"][/caption]

It was found that the cell's defense depended on the availability of certain transcription factors. Since the "infection" would inhibit the normal activity of the roundworms cells, once proteins stopped being synthesized, antibiotic defense factors were released by the cell. It was determined by this study that the inhibition of protein synthesis in the roundworm directly expresses the cell's defense genes. Scientists and experts estimate that many other similar chemical pathways exist, and that certain toxins, nutrients, and other materials may express certain genes.