Immune systems

Among many revelations in this episode, I think we learned a lot about how the island 'works' in curing people. I think what it does is super-boost the immune system, so that things uncurable in the rest of the world (paralysis, cancer) are fixed by the body's own immune system. The flip side of that, though, is that the super-boosted immune system overrides the immunosuppression that naturally takes place when a woman gets pregnant to prevent her system from attacking the fetus as a foreign object.

Of course, this still leaves some unanswered questions:

* Why didn't it work to cure Ben? Does it have something to do with how long he's been on the island?
* How is Jacob able to cure Juliette's sister's cancer without bringing her to the island? This could speak to where the real power of the island lies.
* Why didn't this affect Claire's pregnancy? Was it because of how advanced it was (Juliette told Ben that she thinks the problem happens at conception), or did Juliette indeed cure her? Perhaps the implant suppresses the immune system, so it kept Claire alive during her pregnancy, and then they reactivated it to make her sick later.
* How will this affect Jin's pregnancy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamanin

...I think what it does is super-boost the immune system, so that things uncurable in the rest of the world (paralysis, cancer) are fixed by the body's own immune system. The flip side of that, though, is that the super-boosted immune system overrides the immunosuppression that naturally takes place when a woman gets pregnant to prevent her system from attacking the fetus as a foreign object.

wow, that's an awesome observation...makes sense to me (now we just need an explanation for Ben's tumor)

I don't have a tumor. That "henry gale" does.

I dont think there is any super immune system. I think that the island is naturally less toxic ( biologically speaking). as compared to NY where the sewers and streets and people create so much waste and new bacteria/germs.

The island is almost pristine. Maybe becuase of the EM field around it or whats benieth the surface. And theres also a sense of supperiority/shadiness about the others.. and that could be becuase of their faulty immune system. Personally, if my system turns on its self. then my body knows i was up to something BAD. ( think hangovers)

so Sabine and the other OTHERS were obviously up to something bad. maybe like 4 toed mutant offspring or something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamanin

* How is Jacob able to cure Juliette's sister's cancer without bringing her to the island? This could speak to where the real power of the island lies.

Now THAT, THAT is a question and a half. That is a question I would love to know the answer to.