Chapter 1 - Immune System Flashcards
What are the 2 main parts of the immune system
Innate and adaptive
What is the innate immune system
Present at birth
Does not change over the lifetime of an individual
Responds immediately to foreign material
More general than adaptive immune system
What is the adaptive immune system
Requires exposure to an infectious agent to trigger the development of a protective response
Develops memory for an immediate response on re-exposure
More specific than innate immune system
What are the 3 components of innate immunity present at birth
Physical barriers
WBC
Natural killer (NK) cells
Describe the physical barrier component of innate immunity
Epithelial layer of cells (skin) and internal mucosal linings
How do WBCs help protect the body
They have receptors they recognize molecular patterns they are not from the host, bind to the foreign bacteria, envelop them, and digest them with the release of intracellular toxins
What are the WBC of the innate immune system seen on a CBC differential
Monocytes
Granulocytes
Natural killer cells
Where do monocytes migrate
When Monocytes leave the blood circulation, they migrate into tissues and mature into macrophages. Macrophages guard the borders of potential entry and are found in abundance in many organs
Which WBC is normally the most abundant in the CBC differential
Granulocytes
Where do Granulocytes concentrate
At the site of infection when signaled by macrophages
List the 3 types of Granulocytes counted in a CBC differential
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils
Describe neutrophils function
Most numerous in the cbc differential
Clear bacteria and fungi by phagocytosis
Associated with intense inflammation
Describe eosinophils function
Fight parasitic infections
Regulate histamines from basophils
Increased number in the skin and blood of someone with allergic rash from allergic asthma
Basophils - describe function
Release cytotoxic granules directed toward parasites
Contain histamine
Can cause edema and itching and contribute to hives, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and bronchospasm
Describe function of natural killer cells
Can act in its own
Important for surveillance of cancerous and precancerous cells
Have function in initial response to some viral infections
