Immunity: Gamma Delta T cells hunt with precision (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 15:12 (1982 days ago) @ dhw

QUOTES: […] a single protein on a single cell type can perform both functions, detecting when things aren't normal and then mounting a specific response. (David’s bold)

"The new research found that the cells use two different checks to make sure they don't kill a healthy cell: checking if the cell looks dangerous but also whether it is nonetheless functioning normally."

"The analysis showed that Gamma Delta T cells are highly adaptable and can learn to tackle specific threats such as cancer cells. […] when the cells sit in the gut, they spare cells behaving like normal gut cells, whereas they seemingly use other scores of normality to make judgement calls about cells in the skin."

DAVID: These are obviously automatic reactions on the part of these designed cells, which must have been present from the beginning of multicellular organisms with a circulatory system, since it appears cancer development has always been present and this balance was necessary.

dhw: Yeah, yeah, the cells detect abnormalities, mount responses, use two different checks, are highly adaptable, can learn to tackle specific threats and make judgement calls – but despite all these attributes of intelligence, the reactions are “obviously automatic”. Nothing obvious about it.

DAVID: Note the bold in what is quoted above from the article. A molecule without a brain knows what to do. No other controls found, Obviously designed to be automatic. Just a programmed response to stimuli.

dhw: As usual, you switch from cells to molecules. But yes, “my” scientists believe that cells are intelligent even though they do not have brains. And why do you ignore all the attributes of intelligence that I have listed? Do you want me to bold them? Or do you not agree that the ability to learn and to make judgements denotes intelligence? Not comparable to human intelligence, of course, but not even you would limit the possession of intelligence to humans.

Not a switch. All cellular activity is down through actions of molecules, which act purposefully, by design. The intelligence is in the design of molecular response, and not due to intelligent action by molecules.