18. Innate defence at mucosal surfaces Flashcards
what are mucosal surfaces not?
inert
what makes up the largest organ in the body?
the skin and mucosal membranes
what is the general structure of the epithelial surfaces?
outer epithelial cells how many layers depends on function
basement membrane with collagen and lamina
then connective tissue with ECM proteins
what do you need to cross to cause an infection?
an external barrier
what are the skin defences?
unfavourable conditions, desquamation, antimicrobial molecules, SALT, normal microbiota
what unfavourable conditions for bacterial growth does the skin have?
dry, acidic pH 5, high salt, 34-35oC
what is desquamation?
the shedding of dead keratinised cells that takes attached bacteria with it
what antimicrobial peptides are on the skin?
present at areas with natural breakages like glands
Lysozymes
lipids
what does SALT stand for?
skin-associated lymphoid tissue
Langerhans cells
what is the function of SALT?
immature dendritic (Langerhans) cells phagocytose microbes then travel to the lymph nodes and acts as an APC to recruit active immunity
What is the function of the normal skin microbiota?
Competition for nutrients and space
produce bactericidal products
what defences are the same in mucosal surfaces as in the skin?
normal microbiota
MALT
sloughing
why are mucosal membrane ideal places for bacterial growth?
one layer to penetrate
37oC
covered in fluid
warm and moist
Neutral pH
what maintains the barrier integrity of the epithelium?
intracellular junctional complexes or tight junctions
what 4 transmembrane proteins make up tight junctions?
Occludin, claudins, tricellulin and junction-adhesion molecules (JAMs)
where are tight junctions located?
at the apical surface of the epithelium
forms a belt around the top keeping the cells very close together to prevent bacterial entry
what does Occludin, claudins, and tricellulin do in tight junctions?
loop through the cell membrane 4 times to make interacting loops that hold the junctions together
what do JAMs do in tight junctions?
form extracellular immunoglobulin like domains to hold the cells together
what junctions other than tight junctions keep the cells together?
adherence junctions and desomosomes
how do bacteria overcome tight junctions?
use tight junction proteins as receptors for attachment and invasion
use toxins and T3SS to move the tight junctions
disrupt the cytoskeleton the junctions are attached to