BREAKING THE RULES:
The Immune System in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Our immune system usually defends and protects the body from invaders. In people with MS, a disease of the central nervous system, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the insulation around nerve cells (myelin) in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
The Immune Cell team in MS
MACROPHAGE
MICROGLIA
NATURAL KILLER CELL
T CELL
B CELL
A LEAKY BARRIER
Most types of immune cells aren't normally found in the nervous system because of the barrier that protects the brain from potentially harmful elements circulating in the blood.

In people with MS, this barrier is compromised – allowing T and B cells to move into the brain and spinal cord.2,3
T cells have long been believed to lead the attack on the nervous system. Scientists now believe that B cells also play an important role in MS.4
THE B CELL LINEUP5
There are different types of B cells, depending on their stage of development. Each type of B cell has a job to do - from recognizing foreign invaders to making antibodies.

CELL

B CELL

B CELL

B CELL


B CELL

CELL
B cells can be distinguished by different combinations of PROTEINS on their surface. Here are a few examples:
CD19

CD20

CD27
