Our body’s number one defense from infections, germs, and bacteria is our immune system. Our immune system works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep us healthy! However, some people are born with immune systems that don’t function as well as they should—this may be due to Primary Immunodeficiency.
One of the main components of our immune system is bone marrow, which produces red and white blood cells, also known as lymphocytes. For people living with Primary Immunodeficiency, a defect in T cells and B cells can disrupt the normal function of their immune system. But what are these two types of cells, and why are they so important in keeping us healthy and strong?
T cells are the ultimate guardians of our immune system! We know that people living with PI are more likely to suffer from frequent infections, and T cells play a key role in boosting the immune system or silence it when it’s under attack. There are many types of T cells, and they work together to look for potentially harmful invaders and prevent further infection.
B cells are another type of white blood cell that produce antibodies. These antibodies are an essential part of our immune system, especially for people living with PI—that’s because the B cell can turn into a plasma cell. Plasma can sometimes mean the difference between life and death for people living with PI!
Remember, it takes over 130 plasma donations to treat just ONE patient with PI. Sign up to give the gift of life at a plasma donation center near you: https://www.donatingplasma.org/donation/find-a-donor-center.