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agent: A person or thing (it can be a chemical or even a form of energy) that plays some role in getting something done.
antibodies: Any of a large number of proteins that the body produces from B cells and releases into the blood supply as part of its immune response. The production of antibodies is triggered when the body encounters an antigen, some foreign material. Antibodies then lock onto antigens as a first step in disabling the germs or other foreign substances that were the source of those antigens.
B cell: A type of small white blood cell (also known as a B lymphocyte), which plays an important role in the immune system. Made in the bone marrow, these cells mature into plasma cells, and serve as the source of antibodies.
bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth.
cell: (in biology) The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. Typically too small to see with the unaided eye, it consists of a watery fluid surrounded by a membrane or wall. Depending on their size, animals are made of anywhere from thousands to trillions of cells. Most organisms, such as yeasts, molds, bacteria and some algae, are composed of only one cell.
cytokine: A small protein secreted by certain cells of the immune system which the body uses to have some particular controlling effect on other cells. Examples include interferons, interleukins and growth factors.
dendritic cell: A type of immune system cell that initiates the primary response to a foreign substance.
digest: (noun: digestion) To break down food into simple compounds that the body can absorb and use for growth. Some sewage-treatment plants harness microbes to digest — or degrade — wastes so that the breakdown products can be recycled for use elsewhere in the environment.
force: Some outside influence that can change the motion of a body, hold bodies close to one another, or produce motion or stress in a stationary body.
germ: Any one-celled microorganism, such as a bacterium or fungal species, or a virus particle. Some germs cause disease. Others can promote the health of more complex organisms, including birds and mammals. The health effects of most germs, however, remain unknown.
honey: A viscous (gooey) material that honeybees store in their honeycombs. The bees make it from nectar.
immune: (adj.) Having to do with immunity. (v.) Able to ward off a particular infection. Alternatively, this term can be used to mean an organism shows no impacts from exposure to a particular poison or process. More generally, the term may signal that something cannot be hurt by a particular drug, disease or chemical.
immune system: The collection of cells and their responses that help the body fight off infections and deal with foreign substances that may provoke allergies.
innate: An adjective for some behavior, attitude or response that is natural, or inborn, and doesn’t have to be learned.
macrophage: A type of white blood cell dispatched by the immune system. Like janitors of the body, they gobble up germs, wastes and debris for disposal. These cells also stimulate other immune cells by exposing them to small bits of the invaders.
microbe: Short for microorganism. A living thing that is too small to see with the unaided eye, including bacteria, some fungi and many other organisms such as amoebas. Most consist of a single cell.
molecule: An electrically neutral group of atoms that represents the smallest possible amount of a chemical compound. Molecules can be made of single types of atoms or of different types.
neutrophil: A type of white blood cell released by the immune system. It gobbles up wastes and release chemicals that can digest cells, including germs.
pathogen: An organism that causes disease.
primary: An adjective meaning major, first or most important.
protein: A compound made from one or more long chains of amino acids. Proteins are an essential part of all living organisms. They form the basis of living cells, muscle and tissues; they also do the work inside of cells. Among the better-known, stand-alone proteins are the hemoglobin (in blood) and the antibodies (also in blood) that attempt to fight infections. Medicines frequently work by latching onto proteins.
recruit: (verb) To enroll a new member into some group. It could be into the military. Or it could be into participating in a research group to test some drug, behavior or environmental condition.
replicate: (in biology) To copy something. When viruses make new copies of themselves — essentially reproducing — this process is called replication.
risk: The chance or mathematical likelihood that some bad thing might happen.
survey: To view, examine, measure or evaluate something, often land or broad aspects of a landscape.
SWAT: Acronym for special weapons and tactics. It’s a term for the type of heavily armored, combat troops who can support or even take over for patrol officers and detectives in challenging conditions.
system: A network of parts that together work to achieve some function. For instance, the blood, vessels and heart are primary components of the human body’s circulatory system. Similarly, trains, platforms, tracks, roadway signals and overpasses are among the potential components of a nation’s railway system. System can even be applied to the processes or ideas that are part of some method or ordered set of procedures for getting a task done.
T cells: A family of white blood cells, also known as lymphocytes, that are primary actors in the immune system. They fight disease and can help the body deal with harmful substances.
tag: (in immunology) A chemical change that allows the immune system to identify cells or other material that it should attack and disable or remove.
vaccine: (v. vaccinate) A biological mixture that resembles a disease-causing agent. It is given to help the body create immunity to a particular disease. The injections used to administer most vaccines are known as vaccinations.
virus: Tiny infectious particles consisting of genetic material (RNA or DNA) surrounded by protein. Viruses can reproduce only by injecting their genetic material into the cells of living creatures. Although scientists frequently refer to viruses as live or dead, in fact many scientists argue that no virus is truly alive. It doesn’t eat like animals do, or make its own food the way plants do. It must hijack the cellular machinery of a living cell in order to survive.
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