BSI 2 Lecture 5-7: Immunology Flashcards by Tyler Boyd

What are the two principal mechanisms/systems which protect our bodies from invasion?

Phagocytosis and the production of specific antibodies and sensitized lymphocytes

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What is innate immunity?

The non-specific ability, that we are born with, to phagocytize foreign organisms, particles, some cancerous cells, and exhausted/worn out cells

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What is acquired or adaptive immunity?

The ability to produce antibodies and memory cells which remember the antigen so your body can mount a quicker, more effective response with subsequent exposure

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What are the mediators of the innate immune response?

leukocytes

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What is the most numerous leukocyte found in the body?

Neutrophil

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How many white blood cells are there in one microliter of blood?

4800-11,000

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How do leukocytes move around in the body?

Via the blood and lymph

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What leukocytes are formed in the bone marrow?

granulocytes, monocytes, and a few lymphocytes

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What leukocytes are formed in the lymphoid tissue?

lymphocytes and plasma cells

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What cells seek out invading organisms by chemotaxis?

granulocytes and monocytes

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How many types of white blood cells are usually found in the blood?

5 types

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Are there more red blood cells or white blood cells in the body?

Red blood cells (4-6 million)

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What can cause an increase in white blood cell count?

An infection or leukemia

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What is the breakdown in the percentage of the 5 types of white blood cells in the body?

62% neutrophils 
30% lymphocytes
5.3% monocytes
2.3% eosinophils
0.4% basophils

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Name the granulocytes

1) neutrophils
2) eosinophils
3) basophils

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Why are they called granulocytes?

Because they have intracellular granules that stain with certain dyes plus they have multilobed nuclei.

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Which granulocytes tend to have bilobed nuclei?

Eosinophils and basophils

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Which granulocyte tends to have many lobes?

Neutrophils

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Granulocytes, together with ______, protect primarily by _______ via our _______ immunity.

Monocytes, phagocytosis, innate

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______ and ______ act principally by the production of specific antibodies via our _______ immunity.

Lymphocytes, plasma cells, acquired/adaptive

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Why are natural killer cells considered part of the innate immune response?

Because they can operate independently without Helper cell activation

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Where do white blood cells originate from?

The same pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells as red blood cells

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What 2 principal cell lines do white blood cells become committed to?

myelocytic and lymphocytic

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What does the myoblast (myelocytic) line, in the bone marrow, produce?

granulocytes and monocytes

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What does the lymphoblast (lymphocytic) line, in the lymphoid tissue, produce?

lymphocytes and plasma cells

What are the principal mechanisms of the innate immune response?

Non-specific phagocytosis and inflammation

Where are neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, and monocytes produced?

In the bone marrow

What are the two functions of Neutrophils?

1) phagocytosis | 2) release chemicals involved in inflammation

What is the function of a basophil?

To release histamine and other chemicals involved in inflammation in the blood

What are the functions of Eosinophils?

1) Kill parasites | 2) Participate in hypersensitivity reactions

What are the functions of Monocytes?

They carry out functions in the blood similar to macrophages

What are the functions of Macrophages?

1) Phagocytosis 2) Extracellular killing via secretion of toxic chemicals 3) Process and present antigens to helper T cells 4) Secrete cytokines involved in inflammation, activation and differentiation of helper T cells, and systemic responses to infection

What is the function of a Mast cell?

Release histamine and other chemicals involved in inflammation

Where does interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 6 come from?

Antigen presenting cells

What does interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 6 target?

1) Helper T cells 2) certain brain cells 3) numerous systemic cells

What are the major functions of interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 6?

1) Stimulate IL-2 secretion and IL-2 receptor expression 2) Induce fever 3) Stimulate systemic responses to inflammation, infection, and injury

Where does Interleukin 2 come from?

Most immune cells

What does Interleukin 2 target?

1) Helper T cells 2) Cytotoxic T cells 3) NK cells 4) B cells

What are the major functions of Interleukin 2?

1) Stimulate proliferation | 2) Promote conversion to plasma cells

Where do Interferons come from?

Most cells types

What cells do Interferons target?

Most cell types

What is the function of Interferon?

To stimulate cells to produce antiviral proteins (nonspecific response)

Where does Interferon-gamma come from?

NK cells and activated Helper T cells

What cells does Interferon-gamma target?

NK cells and macrophages

What is the function of Interferon-gamma?

Stimulate proliferation and secretion of cytotoxic compounds

Where do Chemokines come from?

Damage cells (including endothelial cells)

What cells do Chemokines target?

Neutrophils and other leukocytes

What is the function of Chemokines?

Facilitate accumulation of leukocytes at sites of injury and inflammation

What cells produce Colony-stimulating hormone?

Macrophages

What is the target of colony-stimulating hormone?

bone marrow

What is the function of colony-stimulation hormone?

To stimulate proliferation of neutrophils and monocytes

What does macrophages release in the third step of the innate response? And what does it do?

Colony-stimulation hormone; it triggers more leukocytes in response to inflammation

Where are the majority of white blood cells stored?

In the bone marrow and lymphoid tissue

What is the typical life span of a granulocyte?

4-8 hours in the blood plus 5-6 days in the tissues where needed

What is the typical life span of a monocyte?

10-20 hours in the blood before entering the tissues and turning into macrophage where is can survive for months

Where in the body is there NO chemotaxis?

The bloodstream

What is the process called when mobile cells squeeze through gaps in the capillary endothelium?

Diapedesis

What is the process called when these mobile cells follow "chemical trails" to the source?

Chemotaxis

What is released by damaged cells to start the process of chemotaxis?

Chemokines

Phagocytosis is a special form of _________?

Receptor-mediated endocytosis

What happens to the phagosome once it is internalized?

It fuses with a lysosome to digest the pathogen

Where are neutrophils usually found?

In the blood stream

Where a macrophages typically found?

In the tissue

When there is inflammation or damage, what two types of cells are attracted chemotaxis?

Neutrophils and mature monocytes

Can the complement system be activated without the involvement of antibodies?

Yes, in the innate system there is the alternate complement pathway

How does the complement pathway work in innate immunity?

Factor C3b binds to the surface of the bacteria and links it to a phagocyte to be destroyed

What is the term for the targeting of a pathogen by C3b to be destroyed by phagocytosis?

Opsonization

What else is recruited during opsonization?

Other proteins which form the membrane attack complex (MAC)

What does the membrane attack complex do?

It perforates the bacterial membrane making them leaky, which kills the bacteria

Which one is a more potent phagocyte? Neutrophils or Macrophages?

Macrophages

What is the name of the cell when the pathogen is engulfed, internalized, and is now connected to a lysosome?

Phagolysosome

What can Neutrophils and Macrophages do if a bacteria is resistant to digestion?

They can release bactericidal enzymes that can kill most bacteria

What are some of these potent bactericidal enzymes?

Reactive oxygen species: superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl ions

What bactericidal chemical is formed from the reaction of H2O2 and Cl by the enzyme myeloperoxidase?

Hypochlorite (bleach)

What bacteria can resist even these strong bactericidal agents?

tuberculosis bacillus

Certain tissues have their own type of macrophages. Where are Kupffer cells located? What about Dendritic cells/histiocytes?

1) Liver | 2) Skin

If an invading organism makes it through to the blood, what can remove them?

The reticular systems of the spleen and macrophages in the bone marrow

What does the release of histamine cause?

Vasodilation for increased blood flow and increased permeability of proteins out of the capillaries

What leaks out into the ECF allowing it to clot and limit the spread of any pathogens?

Clotting factors, including fibrinogen

What has to be present in order for a luekocyte's selectin ligand to bind to selectin on the tissue and for its integrin to bind to the integrin ligand?

Chemokines

What is the process of margination?

Some of the substances released from the damaged tissue alter the smooth endothelial surface so neutrophils can attach

Which method is stronger? Margination or Selectin/integrin ligand-receptor interactions?

Selectin/integrin ligand-receptor interactions

What process happens that further enhances diapedesis?

The connections between capillaries and venules loosen allowing a 4 fold increase in the number of neutrophils released

What is the first response in innate immunity?

Macrophages that are already in the tissue

What is the secondary response in innate immunity?

Neutrophils are recruited to the site by margination

What is the tertiary response in innate immunity?

Immature monocytes enter the affected tissue and become functional macrophages

What do macrophages release to trigger more production of leukocytes?

CSF

What type of corticoid is released from the adrenal glands?

Glucocorticoids

What inhibits the immune system?

Cortisone

Are eosinophils strong at phagocytosis?

What is the larvacidal polypeptide called that eosinophils release to kill parasites?

Major Basic Protein

Basophils and Mast cells are very important in some kinds of _______.

Allergic responses

What is leukemia?

Cancerous mutations of WBC precursor cells which result in the uncontrolled production of WBC's

What are the two types of leukemia?

myelogenous and lymphocytic

What happens if the type of leukemia is an acute condition?

The cells are more undifferentiated and have less function; therefore, death can result in a few months

What happens if the type of leukemia is chronic?

The cells are more differentiated and the disease may develop slowly over 10-20 years