Blood is the fluid in our bodies that keeps us alive. Since it is required to keep us alive and breathing it has to be in a fresh and healthy condition and to do that we eat healthy food of course.
It brings the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the food we eat and provides it to the body. But have you ever wondered how it does that? To keep our body healthy and fight infections, the red blood cells carry a protein called “haemoglobin”.
What is haemoglobin?
Haemoglobin is a protein that has iron and is used as a carrier to transport oxygen from our lungs to various parts of the body. When we exhale it is the haemoglobin, that picks up the carbon dioxide and takes it to our lungs.
Haemoglobin is red and is contained in our red blood cells. That is why our red blood cells are red. In a single red blood cell, there are millions of haemoglobin molecules.
What are white blood cells?
The human body has a system that fights off diseases and infections to keep the body healthy. This system is called the immune system. White blood cells are a key part of the immune system. Also called leukocytes, they fight germs such as bacteria and viruses. Some WBC’s make antibodies, that are special proteins that fight foreign materials and keep the body healthy.
What are antibodies and B cells?
To understand this, let’s take an example of a country being invaded. The B cells are like the border security force or army that WILL recognize the enemy and neutralize them to protect the country. Now, the antibodies are artillery that can destroy the invaders more efficiently. The antibodies are “Y” shaped B cells and are also known as immunoglobulin.
By Arya Reddy