The human immune system weighs the same as a pineapple
A study conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel has revealed that the human immune system, which consists of an average of 1.8 trillion cells, has a mass equivalent to that of a pineapple.
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In the study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PNAS, scientists measured how many immune cells are in the human body, where they are located, and their weight.
According to Independent Türkçe, the researchers stated that despite the variety of studies examining the human immune system from different angles, there was a need for a comprehensive study on the distribution and mass of immune cell types.
The researchers revised estimates of how many bacterial cells are in the human body and calculated how often body cells regenerate themselves. Accordingly, cells lining the intestines regenerate every few days, while blood cells regenerate every few months. Other cells, such as neurons (nerve cells), can last a lifetime.
Scientists compiled measurements obtained from past research and analyses of tissue samples to determine the number of immune cells in the body.
VARIES BY GENDER, AGE, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
In their study, the researchers based their model on an adult male weighing 70 kilograms between the ages of 20 and 30. It was revealed that in an average-sized adult male, the body's immune system is a mass consisting of approximately 1.8 trillion cells, which corresponds to 1.2 kilograms.
The researchers also pointed out how immune cell counts can vary based on infections, gender, weight, and age.
Compared to the male model used, it was stated that an average adult woman of the same age weighing 60 kilograms likely has approximately 1.5 trillion immune cells, which corresponds to 1 kilogram. A 10-year-old child was stated to have 1 trillion immune cells weighing 600 grams.
DISTRIBUTIONS DETERMINED
The study stated that lymphocytes, which multiply the number of antibodies to neutralize foreign invaders and initiate cellular attacks, make up 40 percent of immune cells. These are mostly found in the spleen and lymph nodes.
However, because they are among the smallest cells in the body, it was stated that lymphocytes make up only 15 percent of the immune system's mass. Neutrophils (white blood cells effective in eliminating bacteria and foreign bodies) produced in the bone marrow also make up 40 percent of immune cells and 15 percent of the mass.
On the other hand, macrophages (white blood cells), dendritic cells, and mast cells, which are 3 to 10 times larger, make up less than 20 percent of immune cells. However, they account for more than 60 percent of the immune system's mass. Furthermore, while the intestines contain only 3 percent of all immune cells in the human body, only 2 percent are found in the blood.
Immunology refers to the complex system that forms the defense mechanism against diseases in a living organism and protects the body from foreign and harmful substances. According to the research, the most important immunological organs are the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and spleen, where most lymphocytes and neutrophils are found.
Furthermore, while the intestines contain only 3 percent of all immune cells in the human body, only 2 percent are found in the blood.