1-2 Cells of the Immune System: Functional Characteristics

Question 1

Basophils

Answer 1

Myeloid lineage: Circulating cells that are characterized by cytoplasmic granules that stain with basic dyes and contain inflammatory mediators and are believed to be important in defense against parasites as well as in inflammatory and allergic reactions.

Question 2

Cytotoxic T cells

Answer 2

Lymphoid lineage: T lymphocytes specialized to kill cells infected with pathogens that replicate in the cytoplasm.

Question 3

Effector cells

Answer 3

Cells that are equipped to activate or destroy other cells directly.

Question 4

Eosiniphils

Answer 4

Myeloid lineage: Cells containing cytoplasmic granules that stain with dye eosin and contain inflammatory mediators that are released on activation by T cells or antibody-coated parasites.

Question 5

Granulocytes

Answer 5

collective term for neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils and mast cells, all of which contain vesicles loaded with inflammatory mediators that stain to give a granular appearance under the light microscope.

Question 6

Macrophages

Answer 6

Myeloid lineage: phagocytic cells resident in tissues that detect microorganisms by means of receptors recognizing conserved components and ingest and destroy them, and function in tissue repair and maintenance.

Question 7

Mast cells

Answer 7

Myeloid lineage: tissue cells that release inflammatory mediators including histamine in response to antibody bound to receptors on their surface.

Question 8

Monocytes

Answer 8

Myeloid lineage: Circulating precursors to macrophages and some dendritic cells.

Question 9

Naïve lymphocytes

Answer 9

Lymphoid lineage: mature circulating lymphocytes that have not yet encountered antigen.

Question 10

Natural killer (NK) cells

Answer 10

Lymphoid lineage: Cytotoxic lymphocytes lacking antigen-specific receptors but with invariant receptors that detect infected cells and some tumor cells and activate their destruction.

Question 11

Neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes)

Answer 11

Myeloid lineage: Phagocytic cells that circulate in the blood and detect microorganisms by means of receptors that recognize conserved components.

Question 12

Phagocytic cells

Answer 12

Cells that recognize and ingest molecules and particles including microorganisms and destroy them.

Question 13

Plasma cells

Answer 13

Lymphoid lineage: Terminally differentiated B lineage cells secreting large quantities of antibody.

Question 14

T helper cells

Answer 14

Lymphoid lineage: T lymphocytes that activate other cells of the immune system, including phagocytes, mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, and B cells, which when activated differentiate into antibody-producing cells.

Question 15

Thymus

Answer 15

Primary lymphoid organ in which T lymphocytes mature.