Cells and the Immune System- Topic 2C Flashcards
Give 3 examples of a pathogen
Bacteria, viruses and fungi
What is an antigen?
A foreign molecule that can generate an immune response when detected by the body.
Where can antigens usually be found?
On the surface of cells.
What 3 things do antigens identify?
Pathogens, abnormal body cells (cancerous cells), toxins
What are the 4 main stages in the immune response?
Phagocytes engulf pathogens
Phagocytes activate T-cells
T-cells Activate B-cells, which divide into plasma cells
Plasma cells make more antibodies to a specific antigen.
What is a phagocyte?
A type of white blood cell that carries out phagocytosis. Found in the blood and in tissues. They are the first cells to respond
What is a phagosome?
the phagocytic vacuole
What is an antibody?
A protein that binds to a specific antigen to form antigen-antibody complexes
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Antibodies SPECIFIC to the antigen.
The immune response can be split into two. What are these responses?
Cellular- T-cells and other immune system cells
Humoral- B cells, clonal selection and production of monoclonal antibodies
What are both types of immune response needed to do?
Remove a pathogen from the body. Responses interact with each other.
What is the primary response?
When an antigen enters the body for the first time and activates the immune system.
At first the primary response is …… because there ….. …… …. that can make the antibody needed to bind to it.
At first the primary response is slow because there aren’t many B-cells that make the antibody needed to bind to it.
What does the humoral response involve?
B-cells, clonal selection and monoclonal antibodies.
Describe the function of antibodies
Bind pathogens together
Allowing phagocytes to engulf many pathogens at once.
What is agglutination?
When an antibody binds 2 pathogens (as it has 2 binding sites) at the same time so that pathogens become clumped together.
What is phagocytosis?
Engulfment of pathogens
Vaccines can protect ……. and …….. against disease
Vaccines can protect individuals and populations against disease.
What do vaccines contain?
Antigens that cause the body to produce memory cells against a particular pathogen without the pathogen causing disease.
Vaccines help you become …… so you don’t get any ………
Vaccines help you become immune so you don’t get any symptoms.
What is herd immunity?
More individuals being vaccinated reduces occurrence of the disease so those not vaccinated are also less likely to catch it.
Vaccines always contain antigens which can be in 2 forms. Name them.
They may be free
Attached to a dead/ weakened pathogen (Attenuated
Name 2 ways that vaccines can be taken and give a disadvantage of one of these
Injected or taken orally.
If take orally enzymes could break it down in the gut or molecules are too large to be absorbed into the blood.
Why may a booster vaccine be given?
To make sure that memory cells are produced.