Summary & Study Guide - An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System

This book is a summary of “An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System,” by Matt Richtel.

The immune system defends people against germs and microorganisms every day. In most cases, it does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. But it can easily be compromised by fatigue, stress, toxins, advanced age, and poor nutrition. Problems with the immune system can lead to illness and infection. An unchecked immune system can attack the body's own cells and damage its own organs. Scientists call it autoimmunity, which affects 20 percent of Americans.

This book tells you the story of how scientists:

* Discover things like T cells and B cells.

* Apply their knowledge through life-saving vaccines and transplants.

* Delve into the tiny fragments of the immune system and build a blueprint of the machine.

* Build medicines by replicating the defense cells.

Read this book to better understand one of the enduring mysteries of human biology.

This guide includes:

* Book Summary—helps you understand the key concepts.

* Online Videos—cover the concepts in more depth.

Value-added from this guide:

* Save time

* Understand key concepts

* Expand your knowledge