BIO exam 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

Innate Immunity

A

The body’s immediate defense mechanism against pathogens. It includes physical barriers like skin, mucous membranes, and cellular components such as macrophages and neutrophils.

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1
Q

Adaptive Immunity

A

A specific defense mechanism involving T and B lymphocytes that develop memory against specific pathogens, providing long-term protection.

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2
Q

Inflammation

A

The body’s response to injury or infection characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain. It aims to eliminate the cause and initiate tissue repair.

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3
Q

Lysozyme

A

An enzyme found in tears, saliva, and other bodily fluids that breaks down bacterial cell walls, providing protection against infections.

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4
Q

Defensins

A

Small proteins produced by various cells, including epithelial cells and phagocytes, involved in killing pathogens like bacteria, fungi, and viruses by disrupting their cell membranes.

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5
Q

Interferon (alpha, beta, gamma)

A

Signaling proteins released by infected cells to inhibit viral replication and enhance the immune response against viruses.

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6
Q

Complement

A

A group of proteins that enhance the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, involving various pathways.

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7
Q

Opsonins & Opsonization

A

Substances (like antibodies or complement proteins) that mark pathogens for phagocytosis, facilitating their engulfment by immune cells.

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8
Q

Zymogen

A

An inactive precursor of an enzyme that requires a biochemical change to become active, often involved in digestive processes or blood clotting.

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9
Q

Alternative, Classical, and Lectin (Complement pathways)

A

Different activation routes of the complement system that lead to the formation of the membrane attack complex, enhancing immune responses against pathogens

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10
Q

C3 (and C3B)

A

C3 is a central component of the complement system. When cleaved into C3a and C3b, C3b participates in opsonization and leads to the formation of the membrane attack complex.

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11
Q

Complement “Factors”

A

Various proteins (such as Factor D, Factor H, etc.) involved in the complement cascade, playing roles in activation, regulation, and amplification of the immune response.

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12
Q

Membrane Attack Complex

A

A group of complement proteins that form pores in the membranes of target cells, leading to cell lysis and destruction, often employed against pathogens.

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13
Q

Chemotaxis

A

The process where immune cells are attracted to the site of infection or tissue damage through chemical signals, guiding their movement.

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14
Q

Anaphylatoxins

A

Small complement proteins (like C3a, C4a, and C5a) that induce inflammatory responses, including mast cell degranulation and histamine release.

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15
Q

Serum

A

The liquid portion of blood without clotting factors or blood cells, containing antibodies, complement proteins, and other molecules essential for immune function.

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16
Q

Buffy coat

A

A thin layer of white blood cells and platelets that separates from the rest of the blood when centrifuged, containing various immune cells.

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17
Q

Leukocytes

A

White blood cells crucial for immune function, including granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils) and agranulocytes (lymphocytes, monocytes).

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18
Q

Lymphocytes

A

A type of white blood cell critical for adaptive immunity, including B cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells.

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19
Q

Hematopoietic stem cell

A

A precursor cell found in the bone marrow capable of giving rise to all types of blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

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20
Q

Myeloid

A

The lineage of blood cells that includes red blood cells, platelets, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and dendritic cells.

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21
Q

Granulocytes

A

White blood cells with granules in their cytoplasm, including neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils, involved in various immune responses.

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22
Q

Neutrophils (PMNs)

A

The most abundant type of white blood cell involved in phagocytosis of pathogens, particularly bacteria.

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23
Q

Eosinophils

A

White blood cells containing granules that are important in combating multicellular parasites and modulating allergic reactions.

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24
Q

Basophils

A

White blood cells containing granules that release histamine, involved in allergic reactions and defense against parasites.

25
Q

Monocytes

A

A type of white blood cell that circulates in the bloodstream and can differentiate into macrophages or dendritic cells.

26
Q

Macrophages

A

Large immune cells that engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells.

27
Q

T cells

A

White blood cells that mature in the thymus and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity, including helper, cytotoxic, and regulatory T cells.

28
Q

B cells

A

White blood cells that mature in the bone marrow and produce antibodies, playing a crucial role in the humoral immune response.

29
Q

NK cells

A

Natural Killer cells, a type of lymphocyte that plays a critical role in the innate immune response by killing infected or abnormal cells.

30
Q

Dendritic cells

A

Antigen-presenting cells that process and present antigens to T cells, initiating the adaptive immune response.

31
Q

Phagocytosis

A

The process by which cells engulf and digest foreign particles, pathogens, and cell debris.

32
Q

Respiratory burst

A

A rapid release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by immune cells, such as neutrophils and macrophages, during phagocytosis to destroy ingested pathogens.

33
Q

CD4 (Helper)

A

A glycoprotein found on the surface of helper T cells that interacts with MHC class II molecules, aiding in the activation of immune responses.

34
Q

CD8 (Cytotoxic)

A

A glycoprotein found on the surface of cytotoxic T cells that interacts with MHC class I molecules, facilitating the killing of infected or abnormal cells.

35
Q

Clonal selection theory

A

A theory explaining the adaptive immune system’s response to antigens, suggesting that specific lymphocytes are activated upon encountering a matching antigen.

36
Q

Positive & Negative selection

A

Processes in the thymus ensuring T cells recognize self-antigens without causing autoimmune reactions (positive) and eliminating those that strongly react against self-antigens (negative).

37
Q

Self-tolerance

A

The immune system’s ability to recognize and tolerate the body’s own cells and molecules to prevent autoimmune reactions.

38
Q

Cytokines

A

Signaling molecules produced by various immune cells to regulate immunity, inflammation, and communication among cells in the immune system.

39
Q

Interleukins

A

A group of cytokines primarily produced by leukocytes that regulate immune and inflammatory responses.

40
Q

Chemokines

A

A subset of cytokines that specifically regulate the migration and activation of immune cells, involved in directing immune responses to sites of infection or injury.

41
Q

T cell receptor

A

Proteins on the surface of T cells that recognize specific antigens presented by MHC molecules on antigen-presenting cells.

42
Q

Major Histocompatibility Complex - MHC

A

A set of genes encoding cell surface proteins essential for the immune system’s recognition of foreign molecules.

43
Q

Human Leukocyte Antigen - HLA

A

A group of genes encoding for MHC molecules in humans, crucial for immune system function and responsible for tissue compatibility in transplantation.

44
Q

Co-stimulation

A

The secondary signal required by T cells, in addition to the recognition of antigen, to become fully activated and initiate an immune response.

45
Q

Antibodies (Immunoglobulins)

A

Proteins produced by B cells that recognize and bind to specific antigens, marking them for destruction or neutralization.

46
Q

IgA, IgE, IgD, IgG, IgM

A

Different classes of antibodies (immunoglobulins) with distinct roles in the immune system, such as IgA in mucosal immunity, IgE in allergic responses, etc.

47
Q

Fab and Fc

A

Regions of an antibody structure; Fab binds to antigens while Fc mediates various effector functions like complement activation or binding to immune cells.

48
Q

Ig domain

A

A conserved structural domain present in various proteins, including antibody molecules, involved in protein-protein interactions.

49
Q

Fc receptor

A

Cell surface proteins that bind to the Fc region of antibodies, mediating various immune responses based on the antibody class.

50
Q

Antigen

A

A molecule that elicits an immune response, recognized by specific antibodies or T cell receptors.

51
Q

Epitope

A

The specific portion of an antigen that is recognized by an antibody or T cell receptor.

52
Q

Antigen presentation (Antigen presentation cell)

A

The process by which antigens are displayed on the surface of cells, facilitating their recognition by T cells.

53
Q

Plasma cell

A

A differentiated B cell that produces and secretes large amounts of antibodies.

54
Q

Thymus

A

A primary lymphoid organ where T cells mature and differentiate.

55
Q

Spleen

A

A secondary lymphoid organ that filters blood, removes old or damaged red blood cells, and helps mount immune responses.

56
Q

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)

A

Lymphoid tissue found in mucosal membranes, such as in the digestive and respiratory tracts, involved in immune responses at mucosal surfaces.

57
Q

Vaccine

A

A preparation that stimulates the immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, typically by introducing antigens from the pathogen.

58
Q

Attenuated vaccine

A

A vaccine containing weakened forms of pathogens that can stimulate an immune response without causing the disease.

59
Q

Adjuvant

A

A substance added to vaccines to enhance the immune response and improve their effectiveness.