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Bio > Cell Recognition and the Immune System > Flashcards

Cell Recognition and the Immune System Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two types of defense mechanism?

A

Non-specific and specific

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2
Q

What is a non-specific response?

A

The response is immediate and the same for all pathogens

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3
Q

What are examples of non-specific responses?

A

Physical barriers and phagocytosis

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4
Q

What is a specific response?

A

The response is slower and specific to each pathogen

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5
Q

What are the two types of lymphocyte?

A

T and B lymphocytes

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6
Q

Which response does the T lymphocyte do?

A

Cell-mediated response

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7
Q

Which response does the B lymphocyte do?

A

Humoral response

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8
Q

How does the immune system recognise self and non-self cells?

A

By analysing the proteins on the surface of the cell

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9
Q

What is the process of phagocytosis?

A
  1. Phagocyte is attracted to pathogen by chemical products
  2. Phagocyte attaches to pathogen by its receptors
  3. Phagocyte engulfs the pathogen forming a phagosome
  4. Lysosomes move towards the phagosome
  5. Lysosomes release lysozymes, which hydrolyse the pathogen
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10
Q

What is an antigen?

A

Any part of an organism that is recognised as non-self by the immune system and stimulates an immune response

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11
Q

Where are antigens usually found?

A

Usually proteins on the cell surface membranes or cell walls of invading cells

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12
Q

Where are lymphocytes produced?

A

In the bone marrow

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13
Q

Where do B lymphocytes mature?

A

In bone marrow

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14
Q

Where do T lymphocytes mature?

A

In the Thymus gland

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15
Q

What is the process of the cell-mediated response?

A
  1. Pathogen invades body cells or are taken in by phagocytes
  2. The phagocyte places antigens from the pathogen on its cell surface membrane
  3. Receptors on specific T cells fit exactly onto these antigens
  4. This attachment activates the T cell to divide rapidly by mitosis
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16
Q

What can the cloned T cells do after the cell-mediated response has taken place?

A
  • Develop into memory cells that can respond rapidly if the same pathogen invades again
  • Stimulate phagocytes to engulf pathogens
  • Stimulate B cells to divide and secrete antibodies
  • Activate cytotoxic T cells
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17
Q

How do cytotoxic T cells kill infected cells?

A

They release a protein called perforin that makes holes in the cell-surface membrane, causing it to become freely permeable to all substances, making the cell die

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18
Q

What do plasma cells do?

A

They secrete antibodies into the blood plasma

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19
Q

What do memory cells do?

A

When they come into contact with an antigen a second time, they divide rapidly into plasma cells and more memory cells

20
Q

What does humoral immunity involve?

A

Antibodies

21
Q

What is the process of humoral immunity?

A
  • Surface antigens of a pathogen are taken up by a B cell
  • The B cell processes the antigens and presents them on its surface
  • Helper T cells attach to the processed antigens on the B cell, activating it
  • The B cell divides by mitosis to make clones
  • The cloned plasma cells secrete the specific antibody that fits on the pathogens’ surface
  • These antibodies destroy the pathogen
  • Some B cells then form into memory cells
22
Q

What are antibodies made up of?

A

4 Polypeptide chains

23
Q

What are the polypeptide chains known as?

A

One pair are long and called the ‘heavy’ chain, the other are shorter and called the ‘light’ chains

24
Q

What does each antibody have?

A

A specific binding site that fits very precisely onto a specific antigen to form an antigen-antibody complex

25
Q

What is the binding site called?

A

As it is different on different antibodies it is known as the variable region

26
Q

What does each binding site consist of?

A

A sequence of amino acids that form a specific 3-D shape that binds directly to a specific antigen

27
Q

What is the rest of the antibody called?

A

Known as the constant region

28
Q

What does the constant region do?

A

The constant region binds to receptors on cells such as B cells

29
Q

How do antibodies destroy an antigen?

A

Causes the bacteria cells to clump together (agglutination) and then serve as markers that stimulate phagocytes to engulf the bacterial cells they are attached to

30
Q

What is a monoclonal antibody?

A

When a single antibody can be isolated and cloned outside the body

31
Q

How can direct monoclonal antibody therapy be used to treat cancer?

A
  • Monoclonal antibodies are produced that are specific to the antigens on the cancer cells
  • These antibodies are given to the patient and attach to the receptors of the cancer cells
  • They then block the chemical signals that the cancer cells release in order to replicate rapidly
32
Q

How can indirect monoclonal antibody therapy be used to treat cancer?

A

Attaching a radioactive or cytotoxic drug to the monoclonal antibody. When the antibody attaches to the cancer cells and kills them

33
Q

How do pregnancy tests use monoclonal antibodies?

A

Placenta produces a hormone called hCG, that is found in the urine. hCG in the urine bind to the monoclonal antibodies on the test strip. The hCG-antibody-colour complex moves along the strip until it is trapped by another antibody creating a line

34
Q

What are ethical issues with the use of monoclonal antibodies?

A
  • Use of mice in production
  • Parents need to have full knowledge and give full consent as the use of monoclonal antibodies can have risks as well as benefits
  • Safety testing of new drugs can have dangers
35
Q

What is passive immunity?

A

The introduction of antibodies into individuals from an outside source.

36
Q

How quickly is immunity acquired from passive immunity?

A

Immediately

37
Q

What are examples of passive immunity?

A
  • Anti-venom given to snake bite victims
  • Antibodies passing through the placenta from mother to fetus
38
Q

What is active immunity?

A

Stimulation of the production of antibodies by the individuals’ own immune system

39
Q

How long does active immunity take to develop

A

Several weeks

40
Q

What are the two types of active immunity?

A
  • Natural active immunity
  • Artificial active immunity
41
Q

What is natural active immunity?

A

Results from when the individual is infected naturally. The body creates its own antibodies and continues to do so for many years

42
Q

What is artificial active immunity?

A

From vaccination. Inducing an immune response without suffering the symptoms of the disease

43
Q

What is the intention of vaccination?

A

To stimulate an immune response against a particular disease. This makes memory cells be produced which allow for a quicker response to a future infection from the same disease

44
Q

What are the features of a successful vaccination program?

A
  • The vaccine must be economically available to immunise the vulnerable population
  • Must be few side-effects
  • Means of producing, storing and transporting the vaccine
  • Qualified staff to administer the vaccine
  • Must be possible to vaccinate the majority of the vulnerable population (herd immunity)
45
Q

What is herd immunity?

A

When a sufficiently large proportion of the population has been vaccinated. This makes it difficult for the vaccine to spread

46
Q

Why is herd immunity important?

A

Its never possible to vaccinate everyone in a large population. Therefore if most of the population is vaccinated, the transmission of the pathogen is interrupted.

47
Q

How might a vaccine not induce immunity?

A
  • If an individual has a faulty immune system
  • Individuals could develop the disease immediately before they are immune, and harbour the disease and transmit it
  • The pathogen could mutate and therefore develop different antigens

Bio (6 decks)

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