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The Skin

The skin is the main barrier against pathogens. It is covered by the hard protein keratin, and so pathgens can only enter by a break in this layer, for example a wound. At wounds, blood clots to prevent too many pathogens entering the body. There are also billions of bacteria crawling over our skin called Skin Flora, and these are harmless. They out-compete any other bacteria attempting to colonise the skin, so that they do not grow on us.

Mucus

Our noses, mouths and eyes are all natural breaks in the skin, so it is logical that these are the best entry points for any pathogens. Our airways and guts are moist, and so provide ideal breeding grounds for pathogens. However, mucus is secreted by the cells lining the airway, and pathogens get stuck in this mucus. Tiny hair-like protrusions called cilia move the mucus up to the throat, where it can be swallowed. The tears in our eyes produce an enzyme called lysozyme, which breaks down most bacterial cell walls, killing the bacteria. Secretions in the mouth and nose also contain lysozyme.

Digestive Systems

Our stomach contains concentrated Hydrochloric Acid lower than pH 2 (which is extremely acidic and is why vomit burns the throat). Most bacteria cannot survive these conditions and so are digested into simple sugars and proteins. In the guts are more bacteria like on the skin, and these are called Gut Flora. These also out-compete bacteria so they do not colonise our guts. The gut flora are harmless, and some even aid digestion or produce chemicals such as lactic acid, which help us defend against other pathogens.

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