• bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
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    9 months ago

    I recall this question coming up on Reddit with some regularity (no pun intended). The typical answer I saw was something like “your rectum has a really strong immune system”

    • Pirky@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      That’s what I remember reading, too. I think that particular area gets its own lymph node system or something like that. Similar to how our head and neck have their own dedicated system.
      Those areas are prone to bacteria, so they get beefed up protections.

      • Contramuffin@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Something kinda like that. They’re called Peyer’s Patches, and they’re like a base of operations for immune cells. They not only gather there, but they also scout out the bacteria present by reaching through the intestinal lining and pulling some of the stuff through.

        Also, a lot of bacteria in our guts aren’t really trying to get into our system. The intestinal epithelium produces mucus to prevent bacteria from getting close to the intestinal lining, and most bacteria are pretty chill with that

        • herrcaptain@lemmy.ca
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          9 months ago

          Damn, it’s gotta suck to be born an immune cell and get assigned to work out of the butthole for your short life.

          • Contramuffin@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            It suck to be an immune cell in general. Many disease-causing bacteria have evolved ways to subvert and kill immune cells in spectacular ways. And immune cells generally just have pretty short lifespans to begin with