what are your T-cells? and what do they have to do with AIDS?

Question

in Rent, the guy says his t-cells are low but he is happy? shouldn't he be scared?

Answer 1

He probably should be scared unless he has come to terms with it. T-cells are specific cells that have to do with your immune system. White blood cells are what destroy a pathogen but a T-cell is the part of your immune system that can prevent you from getting sick with something if you have already had it before an example is the chicken pox. When someone has full blown AIDS and they have a low T-cell count it means that their immune system is particularly low and they are very suseptable to infection. Also when someone has AIDS they don't actually die of the AIDS virus, they die from a subsequent infection that they can never fully get rid of.
Because of the advancements in AIDS treatments, most patients with HIV or AIDS can lead very normal and productive lives and usually are very happy.

Answer 2

I love that movie. =]

Anyway, to answer your question:
T Cells protect a person from infection. The reason the guy in Rent is happy is because he has come to terms with the fact that he might not live very long, but he is still enjoying life.

Answer 3

T cells form part of an army of cells (the Immune System) that mobilize whenever a foriegn invader enters the body. They find and attack bacteria and viruses that we are exposed to every day.
HIV is a virus that attacks these cells and makes them incapable of fighting back. Like an army which has had all of its guns stolen. When the army is defenseless it is known as AIDS. Then diseases which are usually easy for the Immune System to fight off can invade the body and there's no defenses to stop them.
This is what causes death.

Answer 4

The meds many times given to HIV/AIDS sufferers are the HAART routine. it many times contains AZT and an protease inhibitor. those drugs extraordinarily a lot mess with the virus' potential to duplicate itself and infect different cells. It does no longer artwork on your situation. many times HIV drugs are there to maintain no longer supress the immune gadget. solid success.

Answer 5

They're one type of lymphocyte. Wikipedia has a pretty good section on lymphocytes to get you oriented. And it's quite possible to be happy even if you know you're dying. That's more a matter for philosophers and priests than doctors.

Answer 6

t cells protect you from infection....that's what hiv attacks when it invades the body. when your t cell count is low you're very vulnerable to infection. its infection that kills...