BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Great Innate

Greater understanding of the role of cells of the innate immune system

16 December 2022

Great Innate

Two prongs of your immune system tackle invaders with a precision pincer movement to keep infections at bay. The innate immune system is fast-responding and unspecialised, while the adaptive develops tailored defences against specific foes with each infection it encounters. How precisely the innate system works, or even whether some parts might be redundant accompaniments to the adaptive elements, is not fully understood. A new study examined the effect of blocking one component of the innate system, group 2 innate lymphoid cells, in mice. Without these cells, the inflammatory response – key to staving off attacks – could not develop properly, and mucus (yellow in the infected intestine cross-section pictured) production was limited meaning parasites could not be expelled. Allergy responses were also worsened by a lack of these cells, highlighting the innate immune system’s integral importance, and perhaps pointing to new treatment approaches.

Written by Anthony Lewis

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.