A group of researchers from the Flemish Institute of Technology (VIB) and the University of Ghent discovered a new type of cell in the body's immune system, previously unknown, which could play a crucial role in fighting respiratory infections, including coronavirus. Coved 19 ».
Working with a group of international scientists, research teams, all from the center of the two scientific institutions, have discovered a new type of cell, which does its job in disguise.
The story begins with the body's reaction to the infection, by alerting the invasion, by causing inflammation and fever. These are signs that the body's immune system is already working.
The immune system contains different types of cells, but the "generals" in the army, so to speak, are the dendritic cells (DC), which capture substances from gaseous cells - bacteria or viruses, and submit them to other immune cells, known as "monocytes". So you can recognize and kill invasive cells.
Mono cells are used in some cancer treatments to attack and destroy cancer cells in the same way.
Scientists studied mice infected with viral respiratory infections, using technology, to obtain an accurate picture of the genes active in the cells of the immune system, to determine the type of cell.
And they discovered that what they believed to be "single" was actually a new type of dendritic cell.
"This was a huge surprise for us," said Professor Lambrecht, director of the Inflammatory Research Center. "We all learned that DC single cells present themselves as the best antigens while inflammation occurs, and now we can show that in fact there is a new type of cell Hybrid dendrites that do all the work, "explaining," this changes what we know about the immune system and provides important new insights for viral respiratory infections and other inflammatory diseases. "
Another professor, Professor Martin Gilliams, explained, "This was only possible, through teamwork, and ultimately, the imprint of mono cells has elucidated many issues, and many paradoxical results, in the past twenty years, have suddenly become less Ambiguous. »