B3- Fighting Disease Flashcards
What features does the human body have to fight disease?
Sophisticated defense system
Includes mechanisms that prevent pathogens from entering the body.
What role do hairs and mucus in the nose play in the immune response?
Trap particles that could contain pathogens
Helps prevent disease-causing microbes from entering the body.
What is the function of the trachea and bronchi in the respiratory system?
Admit air and trap particles
Have hair-like structures that help in filtering air.
What substance does the stomach produce to help fight pathogens?
Hydrochloric acid
Destroys pathogens that are ingested.
What happens when pathogens invade the body?
The immune system activates to destroy them
It employs various lines of attack against the invaders.
What is phagocytosis?
The process of white blood cells engulfing and digesting foreign cells
A key method of the immune response.
What are antigens?
Unique molecules on the surface of invading pathogens
Trigger the immune response.
What do white blood cells produce in response to a foreign antigen?
Antibodies
These proteins lock onto invading cells for destruction.
How do antibodies function after being produced?
They are carried around the body to find similar bacteria
Specific to the antigen they target.
What occurs upon re-infection with the same pathogen?
White blood cells rapidly produce antibodies
This leads to natural immunity against that pathogen.
What is the role of antitoxins in the immune response?
Counteract toxins produced by invading bacteria
Protects the body from harmful effects of bacterial toxins.
