Here are some of the different cells that can be affected by the availability of nutrients and related compounds. This is a shorthand account I compiled based on on-line definitions and Wikipedia entries, so is not definitive. Each description seems to require its own glossary, but this is a start to understanding the complexity of our immune response.
| Type of Cell | How it works |
| Neutrophils | White blood cell (WBC, leukocyte), key part of immune system that patrols the blood and lymph system |
| Monocytes | Largest WBC, surrounds and kills microorganisms and boost immune responses |
| Macrophages | Large cells that ingest foreign material, can be stationary in tissues or mobilized to infection sites; important in both innate and adaptive immunity |
| Dendritic cells | Process antigens (foreign bodies) so T-cells have access; initiates the adaptive immune response |
| T cells | Various types; secrete cytokines in response to antigens |
| B cells | Activated in spleen and lymph nodes; secrete antibodies and cytokines |
| NK cells | Natural killer cells, first line of defense against cancer and virus infected cells; control viral infections while adaptive immune response kicks in |
© 2020 Kathleen Searles, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD