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Basic Biology

Introduction to Immunity Part 4: Testing
As the immune system is complex, so is testing. The best testing for antigens is to isolate a protein large enough to be antigenic and specific enough so that it is only found in that one situation.  You can choose a test for the presence of active inflammation
Introduction to Immunity Part 3
This article will repeat some of the earlier material, but you can still go back and reread them from past CLL Society Tribune editions, Introduction of Immunity Part 1 and Part 2.  Let us put together all the factoids from the first two articles and see if we can
Introduction to Immunity Part 2
In this article we will review the specific defense system or the immune response. For those of you who like history, this system was first clarified in the 1960s, so our knowledge of it and its functions has grown by leaps and bounds.
What is a Lymph Node?
We have a cancer of the lymphatic system so it is important to know what that means. We will start with a basic explanation of the major component of the lymphatics, namely what exactly are our lymph nodes (sometimes called lymph glands). Normal lymph nodes are usually about 1
What about Clones and Subclones?
Detailed mathematical modeling with a deep look at the fingerprints or more precisely next generation DNA sequencing of our cancer cells suggest that our disease started with a very tiny mutant population that grew into a detectable cancer. Other minor cancerous clones may also be present from the very
What are Lymphocytes?
Lymphocytes have no granules under the microscope. There are three basic types of lymphocytes and many subtypes. The first two, NK or natural killers and T cells are different parts of our cell mediated or cellular immune response to threats from infections and cancers. Our cancer, namely CLL, always
What are Granulocytes?
Our blood stream contains several types of white blood cells or leucocytes. Most white blood cells are granulocytes, so named because they have granules that show different colors when stained to be examined under the microscope. Neutrophils (cells that like being neutral or those whose granules don’t pick up
What is CLL and what is SLL?
CLL also known as CLL / SLL or chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma is a blood cancer, specifically of a type of white blood cell called the B-lymphocyte. It is the most common leukemia in adults in North America. In CLL there is a progressive accumulation of too many incompetent, mature