31. Introduction to the Immune System and the threats to the body Flashcards
pathogenic microbes:
*Bacteria
*Viruses
*Fungi
*Parasites
Immune responses can be made to non-infectious substances:
Environmental molecules (allergy)
Tumours
Host components (autoimmunity)
Involved in tissue homeostasis and repair
Immunology:
Study of immune responses and
associated cellular and molecular events
2 types of IMMUNITY
- INNATE IMMUNITY (natural/native)
- ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY (acquired/specific)
Cooperation between the both types of immunity
what is INNATE IMMUNITY and how is its response?
(natural/native)
- FIRST LINE of host defence against infection
- Always present in health
- Provides IMMEDIATE protection - RAPID RESPONSE
what is ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY and how is its response?
(acquired/specific)
- Adapts more SLOWLY
- Specialised defence
- Proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes
INNATE vs ADAPTIVE
I - CONSTITUTIVE (always on)
A - requires PRIMING by antigens
INNATE vs ADAPTIVE
response time?
I - RAPID response (minutes-hours)
A - SLOW response (days-weeks)
INNATE vs ADAPTIVE
specificity?
I - NON-SPECIFIC
recognises MOLECULAR PATTERNS (features common to a large
range of different microbes
A - SPECIFIC (recognises unique antigens)
INNATE vs ADAPTIVE
memory response?
I - NO memory response
A - MEMORY RESPONSE
INNATE vs ADAPTIVE
becomes more effective?
I - does NOT get more effective upon second exposure
A - becomes MORE EFFECTIVE with REPEATED EXPOSURES
what is an ANTIGEN
Molecules recognized by the immune system
- stimulating an immune response
what is an EPITOPE
PART of the ANTIGEN RECOGNISED and BOUND by ANTIODY or by ANTIGEN RECEPTORS on T and B CELLS (of ADAPTIVE immune system)
an antigen can have several different epitopes or repeat epitopes
CELLS of INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM: (3)
- SENTINELS
- PHAGOCYTES
- INNATE LYMPHOID CELLS
SENTINELS
(e.g. mast cells, dendritic cells,
macrophages)
- TISSUE resident
- RECOGNISE invading pathogens
- ALERT immune system
secrete inflammatory mediators
PHAGOCYTES
(e.g. neutrophils, macrophages,
dendritic cells)
- TISSUE resident or recruited from BLOOD
- ENGULF and KILL invading pathogens
- ALERT ADAPTIVE immune system (DCs, macrophages) (through release of inflammatory mediators)
INNATE LYMPHOID CELLS
(e.g. NK cells, ILC)
- TISSUE resident or recruited from BLOOD
- KILL INFECTED or TRANSFORMED cells (NK cells)
- produce CYTOKINES
what are CYTOKINES
family of SMALL PROTEINS
- used for COMMUNICATION in the
immune system.
(soluble mediators in both INNATE and ADAPTIVE)
Cells are stimulated to produce cytokines which are recognised by other cells which respond to the cytokine
Cytokines play diverse roles in the REGULATION of an immune response:
LOCATION
MAGNITUDE
TYPE
what are ACUTE PHASE PROTEINS
SOLUBLE MEDIATORS in INNATE immune system
-synthesised in LIVER
- proteins whose SERUM CONCENTRATIONS INCREASE during INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
what are COMPLEMENT cells
SOLUBLE MEDIATORS in INNATE immune system
(can be considered to be part of acute phase proteins family)
- can RECRUIT more cells to the area of infection
- can COAT PATHOGENS so they are ingested and destroyed by phagocytes more READILY
- involved in the CLUMPING together and LYSIS of target cells
how do SENTINAL CELLS RECOGNISE infection
by PATTERN-RECOGNITION RECEPTORS (PRRs) on sentinel cells
what do PATTERN-RECOGNITION RECEPTORS on SENTINEL CELLS recognise: (2)
- PATHOGEN-ASSOCIATED MOLECULAR PATTERNS (PAMPs)
common to groups of bacteria, fungi
or viruses but are not commonly found on host cells - DAMAGE-ASSOCIATED MOLECULAR PATTERNS (DAMPs/ alarmins) (or danger-associated)
Molecules released from dying cells or damaged connective tissue.
both are molecules not normally seen by a healthy cell or normal situation
7 steps of INNATE immune response
- injury, barrier break, MICROBE ENTRY
- microbes/injury ACTIVATE SENTINEL CELLS (recognition by PRRs)
- sentinel cells secrete INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS (inflammatory response)
- VASODILATION and increasing VASCULAR PERMEABILITY - FLUID and PROTEINS ENTER TISSUES
- complement, antibodies & antimicrobial proteins KILL MICROBES
- RECRUITMENT. adhesion molecules and chemokines cause LEUKOCYTE MIGRATION into tissue
- PHAGOCYTOSIS and KILLING of microbes
what are the 5 CARDINAL SIGNS of INFLAMMATION
HEAT (Calor)
REDNESS (Rubor)
SWELLING (Tumor)
PAIN (Dolor)
LOSS OF FUNCTION (Functiolaesa)
what is PHAGOCYTOSIS
the ENGLULDING of microorganisms or other cells and foreign particles by PHAGOCYTES
(e.g. sentinel macrophages and recruited neutrophils)
- engulfs to form PHAGOSOME
- fuses with lysosome to form PHAGOLYSOSOME
(enzymes to hydrolyse)
how do INNATE immune cells ALERT ADAPTIVE immune system (3 steps)
using ANTIGEN PRESENTING CELLS eg. dendritic cells
- APC eg dendritic cells RECOGNISE, INGEST and DEGRADE PATHOGEN
- pieces of pathogen - PEPTIDE ANTIGENS- are DISPLAYED on the CELL SURFACE
- moves around body to find cell that recognises antigen and
ENTERS LYMPHATIC VESSEL
TRAVELS to LYMPH NODE
to encounter LYMPHOCYTE that can recognise the presented antigen