Understanding the Immune System
Below is a glossary of terms to help you understand the building blocks and elements that support good digestive health and a balanced immune system, fundamentals for the health of your horse.
Glossary of Terms
Antigens
An antigen is any structural substance such as bacteria, viruses or toxins which stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.
Colostrum
Colostrum is a form of milk, or first milk, produced by the mammary glands of mammals. Colostrum is packed with nutritional components such as immunoglobulins and growth factors which function to provide passive immunity and gut health.
Coronavirus
Coronaviruses are a common group of viruses which infect both humans and animals, causing respiratory or enteric illnesses. Equine coronavirus (ECoV), for example, is specific to the horse and causes lethargy, decreased appetite and fever. Other signs may include colic and diarrhea.
Cytokines
Cytokines are chemical messengers produced by T cells which further stimulate the immune response.
Dendritic cells
Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells. They process antigen material and present it on the cell surface to the T cells of the immune system.
Macrophages
Macrophages are a type of white blood cell that form the body’s frontline of defense. These immune cells are responsible for finding, identifying and consuming foreign invaders in the body.
Mushroom Beta Glucan
Beta Glucan is a polysaccharide polymer derived from the cell wall of mushrooms. Research has shown that beta glucan activates white blood cells to support a healthy immune response without over-stimulating it.
Peyer’s Patch
Peyer’s Patches are regions of lymphoid tissue found in the ileum region of the small intestine. They support immune surveillance of the intestinal lumen and help facilitate immune response within the mucosa.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the beneficial bacterial inhabitants of the digestive tract. The term describes the deliberate ingestion of health-promoting microorganisms.
Proline-rich Polypeptides (PRP’s)
PRP’s are short chains of amino acids containing a high proportion of proline. They are signaling molecules with the ability to modulate immune activity.
T cells
T cells or T lymphocytes are a specialized type of white blood cell essential to the adaptive immune system.
Villi
Villi are small, finger-like projections from the epithelial lining of the intestinal wall that increase surface area available for absorption.
