Posted by This book is supposed to be a fun and interesting way to learn mainly about white blood cells, the immune system, and the differences in other organisms’ immune systems. The main question I am trying to answer in the book is, “Have you ever wondered why your pet does not get sick when you do?”. The book talks about how innate and adaptive defenses work together to protect the body, the five different types of white blood cells and their functions, species specificity, and about other organisms. There are many different organisms that have varying immune systems, but they also have similarities. The main similarities between almost every organism with an circulatory and immune system, is their ability to use blood cells. Red blood cells can differentiate in size and shape, but mostly hold the same purpose of transporting oxygen. Animals with higher energy needs have smaller red blood cells so that they can exchange gas and travel through blood vessels more efficiently. A nucleus in a red blood cell makes them oval-shaped, and without nuclei red blood cells are able to have unique shapes. Some organisms have different white blood cells, while others have faster acting white blood cells. Overall I really enjoyed the topic and hope that this book makes the immune system a topic that others would like to learn about.
