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C00002 00002	immune[e85,jmc]		The immune system, smell, intelligence
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immune[e85,jmc]		The immune system, smell, intelligence

1. The olfactory system permits chemical interaction between outside
substances and the internal chemistry in the body.  In humans it's
rudimentary, possibly because the system has been readapted for
brain use.  Didn't I read that the brain tissue is olfactory in
origin.

2. Perhaps in primitive animals the communication system was
entirely hormonal, and we can regard the nervous system with
its variety of neurotransmitters as an adaptation of the hormonal
system.

3. If I were designing an immune system, I'd do it as follows.
Have some loose tRNA, the kind that has an amino acid attached
to a base.  If there is some loose chemical in the blood, occasionally
one of the particular tRNA molecules will attach to it in some
place determined by where it fits according to their charge and
shape.  Usually it will fly off again.  However, sometimes another
tRNA molecule will attach itself to the first one provided the
amino acids increase the fit with X.  More and more can attach,
and eventually we may get a chain which fits an X specifically.
However, the chain can detach itself as a whole or it can pick
up a chain of bases on the RNA part and this can detach.  This
is then a genetic pattern that can make more of the antibody.
This subsequent process needs to be regulated according to whether
it is important to produce lots of antibody to X.

4. Returning to smell, it would be interesting if primitive
olfactory systems produced in the blood some kind of chemical
image of the substances detected by the olfactory system, e.g.
by the above method for producing antibodies.  What are the
most primitive animals with a sense of smell?  Do plants produce
antibodies?  Do plants smell?

5. The nervous system plays an important role in the development
and differentiation of tissues of an embryo.  Where does this
connect with the above?

6. Are viruses chemical messengers gone independent?