I read in your profile that you’re trying to take metals away from the human body to see how it will affect bacteria, but, unfortunately, it will affect the immune system too, won’t it?

Question: I read in your profile that you're trying to take metals away from the human body to see how it will affect bacteria, but, unfortunately, it will affect the immune system too, won't it?
- Keywords:
  bacteria,
  immune system,
  metal
Asked by P-Brain to Rob, Marikka on 11 Nov 2014.
- Robert Hampson answered on 11 Nov 2014:
  
  This is not my area.
  
  However, I believe that the metals of your body generally reside in your cells. Special chemicals go around your blood picking up the spare metals to make sure bacteria cannot get them. In other words, your body makes sure there are no metals floating around as one of its key defenses against infection.
  
  When the bacteria arrive they start popping cells and releasing chemicals that steal the metals. If you can stop them being able to get these metals you are essentially helping the bodies existing defence mechanisms.
- Marikka Beecroft answered on 11 Nov 2014:
  
  I am not trying to take metals away from the human body, but from bacteria themselves! The human body has nothing to with my work at the moment and I’m trying to build a better understanding about how metals are used by bacteria.
  
  Though your body has an amazing way of combating bacteria it keeps key metals inside it’s own cells so bacteria can’t get them. Interesting fact is that E.coli (the harmful type) can sense when it is in the body by looking at iron levels. In your body most or your iron is locked away in cells which means some bacteria can’t grow in your body. When this drops the E.coli senses this and produces a compound that can break open blood cells and take the iron out of them.
  
  Another trick your body has with metals is that in the white blood cells that engulf bacteria, they can stress the bacteria by depleting it of iron and then they pump in their chemicals which pop the bacterial cell. It makes the bacteria more susceptible to their chemicals and kills them better!
  
  I could talk about this forever but I’ll leave it there before you get too bored! Hope this was helpful!

Question: I read in your profile that you're trying to take metals away from the human body to see how it will affect bacteria, but, unfortunately, it will affect the immune system too, won't it?

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