35 - IMMUNOGENETICS Flashcards
what is an antigen
any molecule (usually protein) that elicits an immune response
what is an antibody
also called immunoglobins
proteins that bind to antigens and mark them for destruction by phagocytic cells
what is humoral immunity
production and secretion of antibodies by a specialized lymphocytes (white cells) called B cells
what is cellular immunity
specialized lymphocytes called T cells produce TCRs that recognise and bind antigens found only on the surface of the body’s own cells
how do B and T cells develop
how are B cells selected and developed?
- in a large pool of B lymphocytes, each is specific to one non self antigen
- when an antigen binds to a B cell, the B cell divides
- gives rise to a clone of B cells, all specific for the same antigen
- this proliferation of lymphocytes is the primary immune response
- some cells differentiate into antibody secreting plasma cells
- antibodies are specific for the antigen
- memory cells remain in circulation
- if a second exposure of the same antigen occurs
- the antigen binds to memory cells
- which rapidly gives rise to a secondary immune response
similar process for T cells and TCR
why does vaccination work?
what is the structure of immunoglobulins?
characteristics of light chains
characteristics of heavy chains
what are the three ways that we generate antibody diversity
how does somatic recombination happen to make new combinations of V and J gene segments of the kappa light chain?
what happens to the pre-mRNA after somatic recombination?
how is junctional diversity made
what is somatic hypermutation
characteristics of T cell receptor diversity
