Our Wonderful Immune System

By Milton G. Crane, M.D. and Barbara G. Crane, R.D. of Weimar Institute

If a physician were to draw off a pint of your blood, store it for a month, and then re-inject it into you, your body would ignore it. Yet if he were to inject an ounce or so of blood from another person with a different blood type, your body would react violently. How can our bodies tell the difference between our cells and some other person's cells? How does the body recognize and destroy the germs that get inside of us? This marvelous arrangement keeps US, our wonderful bodies, identified and intact!

Special cells in the body have the job of examining all the other cells and protein compounds within our skin and then of deciding whether these are part of US or whether they belong to someone else. Every new compound, germ, or foreign object must be examined when it gets under our skin. If it is not part of US, other cells examine it to be sure, and then call in the defenders, the immune system, to get rid of it. Let us examine the defenders against bad things that would destroy us.

The First Line of Defense: Our skin and mucous membrane is the first line of defense against germs. Skin is wonderfully made up of special cells several layers thick. These cells overlap and are constantly being replaced from the inside as fast as those on the outside are rubbed or washed off. Oil glands lubricate the skin ever so lightly, and sweat glands keep it moistened. When the skin is kept clean and well cared for, germs cannot get in and tissue fluids cannot get out. A mucous membrane lines our eyes, air passages, and intestinal tract. Glands in the membrane secrete a mucus, which traps germs and other noxious things. Little hair-like cilia constantly sweep the mucus up to the mouth for expectoration; - that is, unless tobacco smoke or other fumes poison the cilia.

Our "SWAT" Team: The bone marrow is one of the largest organs in the body. It is the center for the formation of red blood cells, platelets, and a variety of white blood cells. From a "stem cell" the marrow makes three key cell types for the immune system – neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Some lymphocytes go to Thymus College where they learn to be "helper" T-cells, "killer" T-cells, or "suppressor" T-cells. Others go to Bursa-like College and become B-cells. The T-cells, all working together can identify a cold virus, a germ on a sliver, or a renegade cell that has turned into cancer. If they cannot deal with the situation, they call fro help of other cells like the B-cells. B-cells go looking for the germ, examine it carefully, and begin to make chemicals called antibodies, designed to combine with the germ or other material that does not belong there. The monocytes mature into big eaters, called macrophages. They can identify the germ, get a hold onto it, and digest it into little pieces.

An array of 15 different cell types and over 50 different chemicals are ready within us to be mobilized for warfare to destroy anything that is not us. When w sliver gets "under our skin," or a cold germ enters the moth or nose, they set off a very well coordinated alarm system. "Mast" cells, which live in the skin and under the mucous membrane, release chemicals that dilate the nearby capillaries and open little pores for the fluid and cells to go speed into battle. They gobble up the bacteria. The large macrophages begin to arrive. These go through the tissue and sweep up all the debris, put their finger-like arms around the bacteria, and eat them. They also eat the neutrophils that have died from their diet of germs. The helper T-cells search for any stray germs.

The macrophages send a message to the helper T-cells to multiply and to put out some lymphokines that call for more defenders. Some T-cells send a message by leukotienes to the B-cells. These take a good look at the bacteria and begin to reproduce rapidly. Some turn into plasma cells and some into memory B-cells. The plasma cells spew out antibodies, which, like guided missiles, home in on the bacteria and make them clump together. The macrophages come sweeping through, swallowing up the clumps of germs. Other chemicals, called "complements," may be called into the fray to puncture the cell walls of the bacteria. Scavenger macrophages gobble up the punctured bacteria, dead neutrophils, and complement until the infection is cleared. New cells can then come in, replace the dead ones, and close the wound on the skin. With all this fluid and cells at the wound site, is it any wonder that the tissue becomes reddened and swollen at the spot?

While all this is going on, the T-memory and B-memory cells put away into their memory what the germs looked like and what antibodies were needed. If that germ should return, the weapons are already designed, ready to fight him.

Good Food Makes Good Cell Immunity: An important point is, how can we keep this valuable system in readiness? The walls of all body cells are made up of a double layer of fatty acids combined with some protein. These fatty acids come from the fat that we eat or are made from excess sugar or protein in the diet. Animals make either saturated fats or monounsaturated fats. These are good for storing calories. However, the polyunsaturated fats, those that the body needs to make good fighting chemicals, come only from plant sources.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, simply prepared and without spices, animal products, free fat, sugar or other refined foods, constitute the best sources of fresh, essential oil and protein. The immune system is kept in best shape by a diet, along with exercise in fresh air, sunlight, adequate rest, pure water, and temperance in all things. Riboflavin, folacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, B-12, D, E, and carotene for making vitamin A, along with minerals like magnesium, selenium, and zinc, are especially important in keeping the immune system strong. We should study to know how to obtain these in our food selections. Some soils on this globe may be lacking in one or more of these elements in the soil. If supplements are needed, they should be taken in "insurance" amounts but not in overdoses. It would be better to take the minerals separate from the vitamins in a form that can be readily dissolved and assimilated.

Flesh foods contain secondhand, leftover fats and protein from the dead animal. Milk was devised by the Creator to supply nutrients to young animals in the very early months of life and also to supply them with ready-made immune globulins against germs from the mother. Milk proteins from an animal other than our mother may overreact and bring on allergic disorders with excess mucus in the nose and lungs.

It is interesting that T-cells "talk" with the B-cells and macrophages by a leukotriene that they make from special polyunsaturated fats in their cell walls. Polyunsaturated fats come in two main types, omega-3 or omega-6 shapes. These special fats are found in relatively high percentages in natural plant produce like greens, legumes, grains, and nuts, but they are in very low percentage in animal products.

A virus may get into the control center, the nucleus of the helper T-cells, as in AIDS syndrome, and inactivate the T-cell system. Many germs, strong or weak, are then free to overpower the good cells. Their defense system is in shambles.

Our Defense Against Sin: When the Creator made Adam and Eve, He took what He needed from the dust of the earth, and "formed" every cell, nerve, muscle, artery, blood cell, and bone, fully prepared, ready to function. He breathed into them, and they became alive with everything in perfect working order. The Creator also built within them a defense against sin. However, since sin entered, because of the virulence of sin and the weakness of our resistance to sin, our part is to choose to let Him activate and empower obedience.

In the Bible, leprosy has been associated with heinous sins (Num. 12:10; 2 Kings 5:27; 2 Chron. 27:19-21). As yet, scientists are not sure how leprosy is spread. We know that it is caused by an infectious agent, mycobacterium leprae. We know that it can be spread by prolonged contact with those who have it. Some investigators think that it is caused by foods such as the flesh of scavenger animals like the pig. Perhaps it develops in a person who has a weakened resistance because of a faulty diet, sedentary living, unsanitary living conditions, lack of proper rest or sunshine. We may have inherited some weakness in our genes that predisposes us to an easy infection. Poisonous chemicals, like tobacco, alcohol, and narcotics, may weaken the immune system and allow the germs to gain a foothold. Likewise, there is no explanation for sin. It spreads so subtly. We have no resistance to it in our own strength.

Good tissue may be able to fight and win with one million germs per gram of tissue, but not much more. On the other hand, a leprous patient may have a thousand times more, as many as one billion bacteria per gram of tissue, and yet feel well and have no signs of inflammation. Isaiah describes how loaded we are with guilt (Isa. 1:4-6).

In some individuals, the effects of sin occur quickly. In others it acts like a slow poison. But thanks be to God, Jesus has obtained the victory. He has shown us the way. When on the cross the guilt of each and every one of us was placed on Him, He died for us. He has forgiven us. When we call upon Him, as He ministers in Heaven, He removes from us our guilt of sin and places it upon the Holy Place in Heaven. He holds it there in abeyance until the final atonement. His merits also allow us the right to choose continually to have Him put the desire in our hearts and the power in our minds to overcome every germ of sin in our lives. He will help us build up strong habits, strong "antibodies," in our battles against temptation.

Our physical bodies might go for months without sunlight. We might live for 40 days without food. We might go several weeks without water. We might make it through 72 hours without sleep, but we cannot go longer than about 10 minutes without breathing in and breathing out.

Just so, our spiritual lives need the regular advantages that Heaven offers us. We must have the Light of the World (John 8:12). We suffer if we do not partake of the Bread of Life regularly, unadulterated by human opinion (Matt. 4:4). His ministry in His sanctuary opens up to us the Fountain of Water (John 3:5; 7:37-39). We can rest securely when we give our burdens to the Lord and rest in His mercy (Matt. 11:29, 30; Heb. 4:3-7). The Holy Spirit breathes life into our souls (John 20:22; DA805). As we breathe out, our words of praise and confession make known our requests (MB130). These "true remedies" for the spiritual soul, properly used, will give us our greatest resistance against the subtle infectious nature of sin here and now.

Soon, Jesus will examine our characters on record in Heaven. If we have chosen Him as our Master, if we have let Him have His way in every aspect of our lives, He will fulfill His everlasting covenant. He will put His law in its entirety into our mind; He will write His law in our hearts; and He will blot out every vestige of sin out of our hearts (Dan. 8:14; Heb. 8:8-12; Acts 3:19). He will pour out His Spirit in full measure upon us to keep us completely free from sinning forever (Romans 5:1, 2; Jude 24). This is called the "cleansing of the soul temple." When He comes in the clouds, He will give us a new body without the scars of leprous sin upon it (1 Cor. 15:51-57).

The Cleansing of the Soul Temple

1. Daniel calls it the Cleansing of the Sanctuary. Daniel 8:14

2. Joel calls it the Baptism of the Latter Rain. Joel 2:15-30

3. Jesus calls it the Being at One with Him, At-One-Ment in His High Priestly Prayer. John 17

4. Peter calls it the Blotting out of Sins. Acts 3:19

5. Paul calls it the Perfecting of the Conscience. Hebrews 9:10

6. John calls it the Seal of the Living Saints by Their God. Revelation 7:2

7. Ellen White calls it the Final Atonement. EW253

WF Ganong: Review of Medical Physiology. 14th edition. San Mateo, CA: Appleton & Lange. 1989; 436-456.
RL Foster: 59 Pieces of the Leprosy Puzzle. Loma Linda, CA: Leprosy Research Foundation.
The Incredible Machine. Washington, DC: The National Geographic Society. 1986; 157-220.
EG White: Ministry of Healing. Boise, ID, Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1909, page 127.

Copyright © 1995-2002 Milton G. Crane, M.D. and Barbara G. Crane, R.D., Weimar Institute, Weimar, CA 95736. All rights Reserved.