Chapter 11: Immunity Flashcards
what is immunity
ability to defend ourselves agaisnt infection by pathogens
2 types of defence mechanisms and their sub types
- external: physical, chemical, cellular
- internal: white blood cells
describe the physical barriers function in defence against pathogens
- skin doesnt let infectious agents penetrate unless broken
- cilia and Mucus in the respiratory tract trap infectious agents
- Acidic pH of the vagina – genito – urinary tract prevents entry of pathogen
describe the chemical barriers function in defence against pathogens
- Acid in the stomach and enzyme in the intestine destroy pathogens.
- Lysozyme in the tears, sweat and saliva avoids entry of the pathogens.
describe the cellular barriers function in defence against pathogens
Interferon mediated defence against viral infections. Interferons are cytokines that are secreted by virus infected cells which protect non infected cells from further viral infection.
where do wbc originate from
bone marrow
how do wbc recognise pathogens
by the distinctive, large molecules that cover their surfaces, such as proteins, glycoproteins, lipids and polysaccharides, and the waste materials which some pathogens produce.
molecules recognised as forgein are called
antigens
what makes the immune system effective
can distinguish between self and non self and has effective methods to fight eg antibodies
what are antibodies
glycoprotein/immunoglobulin molecules that act against specific antigens.
what is an antigen/non self
a substance that is foreign to the body and stimulates an immune response.
Antibodies are made by _ and made when _.
What about the variable region of it?
plasma cells derived from B-lymphocytes, secreted in response to an antigen; the variable region of the antibody molecule is complementary in shape to its specific antigen.
what is the immune response
the complex series of responses of the body to the entry of a foreign antigen; it involves the activity of lymphocytes and phagocytes
what does self refer to
substances produced by the body that the immune system does not recognise as foreign, so they do not stimulate an immune response.
2 groups of wbc involved namely…
- phagocytes (neutrophils and macrophages)
- lymphocytes (b cells and t cells)
where are phagocytes made and what is their function
- made throughout life in bone marrow
- remove dead cells and invasive organismss
what are neutrophils
- kind of phagocyte
- 60% of wbc
- travel body, by squeezing through capillary walls to patrol tissues
- short lived. collect at site after death forming pus
what are macrophages
- phagocytes, larger than neutrophils
- found in organs such as the lungs, liver, spleen, kidney and lymph nodes rather than in blood
- travel in blood as monocytes after made in bone marrow
- long lived
- do not destroy pathogens but cut em up into antigens for lymphocytes to recognise
describe the process of phagocytosis
- cells under attack during an infection produce histamine, which along with other pathogenic chemicals attract neutrophils
- pathogen may be a cluster and covered in antibodies which the neutrophils protein receptors on surface attach to
- so neutrophil attaches to pathogen and engulfs it with membrane via endocytosis and traps it in a phagocytic vacuole and secretes digestive enzymes eg protease into it (lysosome fusion)
what is chemotaxis
movement towards chemical stimuli
structure of lypmhocytes
- smaller than phagocytes
- large, filling nucleus
2 types of lymphocytes and their production+maturation
- B cells: remain in the bone marrow until they are mature and then spread throughout the body, concentrating in lymph nodes and the spleen
- T cells: leave the bone marrow and collect in the thymus where they mature (the thymus is a gland that lies in the chest just beneath the sternum. It doubles in size between birth and puberty, but after puberty it shrinks)
vividly describe the mechanism of B-lymphocyte action
-as B cell matures its able to make 1 type of antibody receptor with specific shape. while B cells mature genes that code for antibodies are changed in a variety of ways to code for different antibodies.
-each cell then divides to a small group of cells called clones which can make that 1 antibody and conc in liver+spleen
-antibodies remain on cell membrane acting as glycoprotein receptors specific to an antigen
-when anitgen enters the small no. of cells with the antibody stimulated to divide by clonal selection and produce many identical cells over few weeks in clonal expansion
-some activated B cells become plasma cells and secret antibodies at a high rate into blood,lymph nodes, lung and gut linings
-others form memory cells which ciruclate in blood for long
-If same antigen is reintroduced
memory cells divide rapidly and develop into plasma cells and more memory cells
life span of plasma cells, memory cells and antibodies
memory>antibody>plasma
Changes in the concentration of antibody molecules in the blood when the body encounters an antigen first and later
Primary response: slow, few antigen specific B cells antibodies
Secondary response: faster, many memory cells which can differentiate into plasma cells–>antibodies
memory cells are the basis of
immunological memory
Application of primary and secondary responses
- someones unlikely to get measles twice because only one strain of virus so very fast 2ndry response
- we suffer repeated infections of the common cold and influenza because there are new and different strains of these viruses each with diff antigens
antibody structure
- globular protein with quarternery structure
- 4 polypeptide chains (constant region): 2 heavy/long 2 light/short. disulfide bonds hold chains together
- each has 2 identical antigen binding sites made of BOTH heavy+light chains
- sequences of amino acids in these regions make the specific 3D shape which binds to 1 type of antigen
- ‘hinge’ region gives the flexibility for the antibody molecule to bind around the antigen.
- have chain sugars attached
what is diff in each type of antibody
antigen-binding sites form the variable region
6 antibody action mechanisms
1) combine with virus/bacterial toxin preventing cell entry+damage
2) attach to flagella of bact and make em less active and easier for phags to engulf
3) antibodies with multiple binding sites cause agglutination/clumping and reduce spread
4) along with other molecules they puncture holes in cell wall which leads to burtsing after osmosis
5) markers ie coat bact, phags have receptors for heavy polypeps
6) antitoxins combines with toxins and neutralise em making them harmless
types of antibodies named
Ig A,D,E,G,M
iga structure+property
dimer
Found in mucus, saliva, tears and breast milk. Protects against pathogens
igd structure+property
monomer
Part of the B cell receptor. Activates basophils and mast cells
ige structure+property
monomer
Protects against parasitic worms. Responsible for allergic reactions
igg structure+property
monomer
Secreted by plasma cells. Also cross placenta to enter fetus
igm structure+property
pentamer
May be attached to the surface of B cell or secreted into the blood. Responsible for early stages of immunity.
features of neutrophils
Multilobed, Bacterial or fungal infection. These are the common first response to microbial infection
features of eosinophils
Bilobed, Parasitic infections and allergic reactions (inflammatory)
features of basophils
Bi/ Trilobed, Allergic and antigen response (releases histamine causing vasodilation)
features of lymphocytes
Include B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. Large circular nucleus with little cytoplasm
features of monocytes
Kidney shaped nucleus, Phagocytosis of pathogens. Presentation of antigens to T lymphocytes. Eventually they become tissue macrophages which remove dead cells and attack microorganisms.
mechanism of T-lymphocyte action
- mature T cells have specific cell surface receptors called T cell receptors, structure similar to that of antibodies, and they are each specific to one antigen.
- activated when they encounter this antigen (complementary to receptor) on another cell of the host eg macrophage upon antigen representation
- clonal selection and expansion
3 types of T cells
a) helper T cells
b) killer T cells (or cytotoxic T cells)
c) suppressor T cells
what happens when helper t cells are activated
they release hormone like cytokines that stimulate appropriate B cells to divide, develop into plasma cells and secrete antibodies.
some T helper cells secrete cytokines that stimulate macrophages to carry out phagocytosis more vigorously.
what happens when killer t cells are activated
search body for cells that have become invaded + are displaying foreign pathogen antigens on their cell membranes
they recognise the antigens, attach themselves to the surface of infected cells, secrete toxic substances eg H2O2, killing the body cells and the pathogens inside.
what happens when suppresor t cells are activated
suppress immune response of the body by suppressing the action of B and T lymphocytes.
memory t cells
remember antigen for future
what are platelets
small cell fragments that do not have a nucleus; they are formed from the break-up of cells in the bone marrow.
release substances that stimulate blood clotting
how are results for specific white blood cells given
as absolute numbers or as percentages of the white cell count