It was a cold winter day. Everyone was staying inside and everyone was sick except Ashley. But she knew that she could get sick any of these days.

One day, Ashley and her mom were in the kitchen, when all of a sudden her mom sneezed. Without knowing, Ashley had inhaled the germs that her mom's sneeze had let out.

Those germs are called pathogens.

PATHOGENS

Ashley's immune system immediately began working once the virus entered her nose. Her nose hairs tried to protect the body by not letting in the virus. The nose hairs and mucus worked together as they tried to protect the body.

No! You won't come in here!

Mucus and Nose Hairs

Then, the B-Cells produce antibodies. These antibodies are produced to attack the pathogens.

B-Cells

Antibodies

I'm gonna get you

No, you're not

The antibodies can't completely destroy the pathogens, so T-Cells come to destroy the pathogens.

T-Cells

We will finish you off

No, you won't

After the T-cells have done their job, they call the phagocytes to come do their job. The phagocytes "eat" the pathogens.

Phagocytes

I'm going to eat you

AHHHHHH

Now, Ashley is not sick, since her immune system was able to attack the pathogens by using specific defense. Specific defense is when specific pathogens are targeted.