The secret force of our body's defense army: All about Helper T cells

Have you ever thought that there is a big war going on inside our bodies? Yes, there is actually a big battle going on inside our bodies every second. Our own defense army is constantly fighting against enemies like germs, bacteria, and viruses that come from outside. We call this defense army the Immune System . So, there is a very special group of intelligence officers in this army. They are the ones who first identify the enemy and give orders to the other soldiers about what kind of attack to make. Those intelligence officers are what we call "Helper T cells." Today we are talking about these small, but very important heroes.

Simply put, what are these helper T cells?

Helper T cells are a key type of cell in our immune system. To be precise, they are a type of white blood cell. Their main job is to detect an infection in the body and activate other immune cells to fight it. They are like the commanders in charge of the entire operation.

These T cells are produced and trained in a small gland in the upper part of our chest, behind the breastbone. It is called the thymus . This thymus is like a training school where soldiers are trained. This training school produces several types of T cells, each with their own special abilities.

Let's see what those groups are:

What is their role in the immune system?

Our immune system has two parts. One is innate immunity, which we are born with. The other is adaptive immunity, which we develop as we get sick and get vaccinated. This adaptive immunity is very smart. It can remember an enemy that has come before and quickly destroy it if that enemy comes again.

So, the brains of this clever adaptive immune system are our protagonists, the helper T cells. Without them, this work would not be possible. They mainly activate two battalions:

1. B cells: These are the weapons factories of our body. When they receive orders from helper T cells, B cells make a special type of protein. These are called antibodies . These antibodies are like missiles that go straight to the target. They make a special antibody that is right for every germ. Those antibodies go and attach to the germs, inactivating them.

2. Cytotoxic T cells: These are the special forces . When they receive orders from helper T cells, they go straight to the battlefield. They go and find the cells in our own body that have been infected by germs like viruses, and destroy those cells. Then the virus can no longer spread.

Are there subtypes of helper T cells?

Yes, there is. Depending on the type of enemy, these helper T cells undergo further special training and are divided into two subgroups: TH1 and TH2.

• TH1 helper cells: These are the ones who specifically fight off enemies like bacteria and viruses that are hiding inside our cells. They send a message and activate another type of cell called a macrophage . Macrophages are like the garbage collectors in our bodies. They go and engulf germs and dead cell fragments, cleaning up the battlefield. They also activate TH1 cells, that special force we talked about earlier, the cytotoxic T cells.

• TH2 helper cells: These cells focus on larger enemies like parasites outside the cells and things that cause allergies. They are the ones who activate B cells and make antibodies related to allergies. When you get dust, you sneeze, when you eat food, you get diarrhea, you cough... These TH2 cells are behind things like this. They try to get rid of harmful things that have entered the body as quickly as possible.

How do these cells work? What an amazing mechanism!

This sounds like a very interesting story. A helper T cell doesn't just activate. It has to receive a special signal.

Imagine that a bacterium enters our body. Our immune system has cells that patrol the body. This cell captures the bacterium and displays a small piece of it on its surface. It's like the police capturing a thief and displaying a picture of him. The molecule that displays this is called the MHC class II molecule .

Now our helper T cell comes in and checks this. There's a special receptor on the surface of the helper T cell, called the CD4 receptor . This CD4 receptor is like a key, it has to fit exactly into the lock called the MHC class II molecule.

As soon as the key fits the lock, the helper T cell becomes "activated." That means it understands, "Okay, now there's an enemy in the body, I need to get down to business."

Then, this activated helper T cell releases chemical messengers called cytokines . These cytokines go and tell other immune cells (like B cells, cytotoxic T cells, macrophages) to come and fight, "Come quickly, there's a fight here!" The entire immune system is coordinated by these cytokine messages.

Where are these helper T cells located in our body?

T cells are born in the bone marrow inside our bones. But there they are like babies. They are trained and made into good soldiers in the training school called the thymus gland that we talked about earlier. It is in this training school that they are taught to distinguish between "this is our own cell, this is an enemy from outside." This is very important. Otherwise, they can attack our own cells.

Once trained, these skilled soldiers are deployed throughout the body, especially in areas where enemies are most likely to enter. Accordingly, the most common locations where helper T cells are found are:

• Lymph nodes - like military bases.
• Spleen
• Tonsils - First to deal with germs that enter the throat.
• Lungs - to germs that enter through breathing.
• Intestines - to germs that enter with food.
• Bone marrow

What diseases affect helper T cells?

If the function of helper T cells, which perform such an important function, is impaired, our entire immune system can collapse. This is what happens in some diseases.

• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus): You may have heard of HIV. This virus directly attacks our helper T cells. That is, it destroys the commanders of our army. When the commanders are gone, there is no one to command the army. As a result, the immune system is completely weakened, and even germs that normally do not cause us much harm start causing serious diseases. AIDS is the final stage.
• Autoimmune diseases: Sometimes, our immune system goes wrong and starts attacking our own healthy cells, thinking they are enemies. In such diseases, there are also some problems with the functioning of T cells.
• Cancers: Some types of cancer, such as acute lymphocytic leukemia and adult Hodgkin lymphoma, directly affect these immune cells.
• Rare genetic diseases: T cell function is also impaired in conditions such as Job syndrome and Thymic aplasia (congenital failure of the thymus gland).

If you have any doubts about any of these conditions, it is very important to see your doctor immediately for advice.

What can we do to keep the immune system healthy?

It is our own responsibility to keep our security forces strong. It doesn't require major changes. It just requires some simple lifestyle changes.

• Good Diet: We need to provide our troops with the necessary nutrition. Eat a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, greens, lean proteins (like fish, eggs, and beans), and good fats . Reduce sugary drinks, artificial foods, and fatty foods as much as possible.
• Get enough sleep: Sleep is the time when our bodies repair themselves and our immune cells recharge. It is essential to get at least 7-8 hours of good, uninterrupted sleep a night .
• Exercise: Exercising daily to the point of breaking a sweat helps to move immune cells throughout the body. Try walking, running, or cycling for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Reduce stress: Excessive stress weakens our immune system. Relax your mind by doing things like meditation, yoga, listening to music, or engaging in a hobby you enjoy.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol: Both of these are enemies of our immune system. If you smoke, stop. Limit alcohol consumption as much as possible.
• Cleanliness: Washing your hands regularly with soap can go a long way in preventing germs from entering the body from outside.