End of Term Reflection

One thing I learned in Cell Biology is about all of the various specialized cells in the immune system. The various different types of these cells, and their functions. Such as the various types of white blood cells, or, leukocytes. And how they all work together to form a cohesive, working immune system able to fight off bacteria and viruses. While also even attacking itself in some instances. As well as how they communicate such as through the use of Cytokines. Which are proteins that chemically signal other cells in an immune response. One such leukocyte is the Macrophage, a white blood cell that engulfs and destroys pathogens and intruders through phagocytosis by essentially eating them and pulling them into its phagosome, a membrane bound vesicle. There are also other leukocytes such as B-cells that make antibodies, T-cells that help in coordination, as well as Neutrophils that act in much the same way as Macrophages. I learned how these immune cells see these threats, and the chain reaction of events that take place and cause them to fall into action. I learned how there are hundreds to thousands to millions of actions that take place at a single given event, just to achieve a single goal and response. Such as attacking a pathogen that could make one sick. This knowledge is greatly needed for my, hopefully, eventual profession in biology. As this directly relates to a field I may considering entering, such as Microbiology, and the lab work I would like to do. This course definitely opened my eyes to all of the inner workings into how the immune system responds to invaders. While also helping me grow as a student in now finally understand each cell’s part in the bigger picture of an immune response. It was a very interesting course, and one necessary to help further my education on the subject.