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immune system

The cover photo on the issue: Cell Host & Microbe This is how the bacteriophages (in purple) affect the function of the bacteria by reversing the DNA - a reversal that changes their effect on the immune system. This effect is demonstrated by changing the color of the bacteria from yellow to green. Illustration credit: Tomm Blum

Gut bacteria are able to change their 'software' in response to inflammation, which may affect the immune system

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The intestine is a very dynamic organ that is constantly changing structurally, mechanically and chemically, and the intestinal bacteria are required to cope with this dynamism. One of the features that may help them in this is plasticity - the ability to undergo rapid genomic changes in response to changes in environmental conditions
Dr. Catherine Vandorna. Photo: Nitzan Zohar, Technion spokesperson

This is how the bone marrow reacts to injuries and infections

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Dr. Kathryn Vandorna from the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion developed a new method that allows the monitoring of the formation of immune blood cells in the bone marrow. For this purpose, she used tiny magnetic particles of iron oxide, which she followed with various imaging methods, including MRI of the living creature
What is needed to prolong life. Illustration: depositphotos.com

A new competition to stop aging with prizes of 101 million dollars

A new competition to stop aging with prizes of 101 million dollars
Bacterial cells before phage infection (left) and after (right). The virus replicates itself inside them and leads to the explosion of the cells and the spilling of their contents (in red - the bacterial DNA spilled from the cell)

Survive with 0% battery: an immune system that drains the cell of energy has been discovered

The new system was discovered in bacteria - but is also used in corals, bees and others
Personalized Medicine Illustrated: depositphotos.com

The discovery that will advance personalized medicine for infectious diseases

This is the first time that researchers succeed in developing personalized tools for infectious diseases, which until now have only been developed for specific diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's
Microglial cells (in green) in the hippocampus region of the brain of an adult mouse, forming contact points with a new neuron (in red)

The biology of depression

Degeneration of the cells of the immune system in the brain may be the biological cause of depression, and there may be substances that can restore these cells - and be antidepressants
Prof. Michal Schwartz. Photo: Weizmann Institute Spokesperson

Prof. Michal Schwartz from the Weizmann Institute won the Israel Prize for research on the relationship between the immune system and the nervous system

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Prof. Schwartz challenged the convention that nerve cells do not regenerate or recover, and discovered that the immune system also takes care of them. She also studied the blood-brain barrier and discovered that it prevents the cells of the immune system from helping in cases of brain damage such as Alzheimer's
Right: Immune clusters in the liver of a mouse containing ILCs, and within them cancer cells (in red). On the left: immune clusters in the liver of a mouse from which ILCs have been removed, and within them cancer cells. The cancer cells thrive more in the mouse liver which contains ILCs

The immune system gets tired - and the cancer spreads

Pools of immune system cells taken from patients and mice with liver cancer and melanoma, partly composed of tired immune cells
Microglial cells that were "ripened" in the laboratory from stem cells derived from ALS patients (in green), the cell nuclei - in blue. Photographed using a confocal microscope

The good mutation

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists have discovered a new pathway that may protect nerve cells in the brain and slow down the development of degenerative brain disease
A new study sheds light on an important mechanism in the degradation of white blood cells. Illustration: Maya Factor, courtesy of Tel Aviv University

A new study sheds light on an important mechanism in the degradation of white blood cells

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A mouse intestinal mucosa lined with finger-like protrusions (in white) and containing lymphoid organs (in red) that contain germinal centers (in green). Photographed by confocal microscopy

There is no doubling of promotions: the immune system must choose - short term or long term

When the body's defense systems sacrifice the long term for short term victories
A "topographic map" of a segment on the surface of a T cell. The red areas are the flexible fingers described in the paper (the warmer the color, the higher the labeled area). CCR7 receptors (in black) are located at the highest points on the surface of the fingers

Know when to stop

How do the cells of the immune system know how to brake quickly?
Bacteriophages attack bacteria. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The common fight of bacteria and plants against viruses

A defense mechanism discovered in bacteria may make it possible to improve the resistance of agricultural crops to pests
Plasma cells - B cells of the immune system attack viruses. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The aging immune system: can the wheel be turned back?

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Researchers at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion deciphered new aspects of the aging of the immune system - and discovered that it is possible to restore its youth
The triple strategy of the corona: 1. A general decrease in the translation products in the cell; 2. Breakdown of messenger RNA molecules of the cell; 3. Preventing the exit of messenger RNA molecules from the nucleus

The triple of the corona

The scientists of the Weizmann Institute of Science, in partnership with the scientists of the Biological Institute in Nes Ziona, revealed how a unique combination of three mechanisms allows the corona virus to escape the immune system
A diagram depicting the activity of B cells of the immune system. . Photo: depositphotos.com

TA researchers have identified a special group of cells in the immune system shared by malaria, AIDS and lupus patients

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In a healthy person, these cells do not exist at all. In patients with malaria, AIDS and lupus, they make up 15%-25% of the B cells
Bacteriophage - a virus that attacks bacteria. Illustration: Illustration: depositphotos.com

A mysterious component in bacteria has been discovered as a last line of defense against viral infection

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Besides solving a 36-year-old mystery, Weizmann Institute of Science scientists have identified thousands of types of these components, which may be used in gene editing
immune system. Illustration: shutterstock

Immune memory cells are stable over time after recovery from corona

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This is according to a joint study by Tel Aviv University and Hasharon Hospital (Rabin Medical Center). The researchers estimate that in the case of repeated exposure to Corona, those who recover from the disease may be protected from a second illness - but it is possible that they may still carry the virus and infect others
The immune system attacks invading viruses. Illustration: shutterstock

Fighting fiercely against tiny enemies - the story of the immune system

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Did you know that our immune system consists of two subsystems? One is born, and the other is acquired during our lives. Both together fight invaders (bacteria, viruses, etc.) as much as they can. So why do we need vaccines? Because even these two are not always enough to fight all the troubles
A virus attacks and the immune system defends. Illustration: shutterstock

Researchers offer a new approach to dealing with the corona virus: putting the immune system into action even before the body is attacked

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The researchers actually suggest increasing the power of the innate immune system - the first line in the fight against the virus, before the acquired immune system (specific to a particular pathogen) comes into action.
The structure of the fiber that produces peptide LL-37(17-29) as deciphered in the current study

Technion researchers have deciphered the atomic structure of an important peptide fiber in the human immune system

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survival of the fittest. Illustration: shutterstock

What does "survival of the fittest" mean? in the corona epidemic

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In the lungs, it is NETs that drive the accumulation of sputum in the airways of cystic fibrosis patients. They also accelerate the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which arises due to a variety of reasons, including the flu. In the vascular system, they cause arteriosclerosis and arteriovenous aneurysms as well as thrombosis (thrombosis, especially microbrbrosis), and these have devastating effects on the functioning of the organs. BioRender assisted in the creation of the illustration. Credit: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories

Is overactivity of immune system cells the cause of death from corona?

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The coronavirus affects older people at greater rates. Illustration: Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

The elderly are especially at risk because of the way the immune system ages

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The corona virus developed in bats. Illustration: shutterstock

The outbreak of the corona virus raises a question: why are bat viruses so deadly?

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