IN A world-first comprehensive study, the human immune system has been tracked from birth up until the age of 75 years, which has paved the way for future therapies to tune the immune systems of people at higher risk of certain diseases.
The research defined the composition of the human immune system throughout life by investigating over 50 populations of immune cells and establishing an immune cell cytometry atlas in people as they age.
Cell populations from both the innate and adaptive immune systems were analysed, as both are crucial to help the body respond appropriately to infections.
Led by Sedi Jalali, a PhD candidate from Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the researchers focused especially on younger age groups as very little was known about early-life immune development.
The biggest changes to the immune system were seen after birth and particularly in school-aged children.
These are periods when children are most exposed to new germs and get different vaccinations.
Infant fevers, childcare and school colds are outcomes of our immune systems changing and responding to those novel exposures.
The research identified major changes to conventional and unconventional T-cells, which develop in the body to specifically recognise molecules expressed by invading pathogens.
There were also changes to B-cells that produce antibodies to neutralise pathogens; and monocytes and natural killer cells, which are key players of the innate immune response and rapidly initiate the human immune response to various infectious diseases.
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