Bio-Tech: Immune System Modifications
Immune System Modifications
The body responds to infection using a combination of blood proteins (the complement system) and white blood cells (leukocytes). The latter include killer T-cells, which destroy infected cells in the body; B-cells, which produce antibodies that tag pathogens; and phagocytic cells, which engulf and destroy tagged pathogens.
Improved disease resistance may result from gengineering the spleen and bone marrow to manufacture more discriminating and aggressive leukocytes. Ultimately, they may be engineered into bio-nanomachine factories, creating cells that can do everything from binding with and destroying toxins to cleaning out clogged arteries...but this capability (granting full Immunity to Disease, often in combination with Longevity) will usually require biomods or nanosymbiotes, and hence is covered in later chapters. The exception are bioroids, whose radical design may more easily provide this capability.
Immune System Modifications
| Trait | Cost | TL |
|---|---|---|
| HT+1 | 10 | 10 |
| Resistant to Disease (+3) | 3 | 9 |
| Resistant to Disease (+8) | 5 | 9 |
| Resistant to Sickness (+3) | 5 | 10 |
| Resistant to Sickness (+8) | 7 | 10* |
| Immunity to Disease | 10 | 10† |
* Species modification.
† Species modification; bioroids only.