title: Significance of M-cells in the panautoprotection of the body.
abstract: Life consists of continuous acceptance, adequate processing and appropriate use of energy-carriers present in and around the body, along with effective elimination of those of them which invade the organism from outside, or appear inside, thus threatening its existence. It is clear that all cells making up the organism are naturally involved in its protection. Since no "extracorporal bodyguards" have been detected so far, recently I introduced the concept of panautoprotection in the human organism, which was subsequently expanded to comprise perhaps the broadest and most sufficiently exhausting paradigm on the essence of life and other known events in the Universe. The M-cells emerging during the evolution of birds and mammals are highly specialized immunocompetent cells, functioning non-stop throughout the individual's entire life as antigen receptors. Penetrating mainly through the nose and mouth, alien antigens, which I perceive mainly as mediators of biointegration, trigger the mechanisms of acquired or adaptive immunity through the M-cells. Through them, the environment models the body of each individual so as to transform it into its integral part. Jointly with Prof. Mogi, we studied the M-cells in the nasal tonsil of SCID-mice and found them to appear definitely differentiated, suggesting that the relevant information is genetically coded. The typical pores of the basal lamina are probably M-cell induced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sofia Medical University, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karchev
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D051379:Mice; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009626:Terminology as Topic