Chapter 14: The Innate Immune Response - 2nd line (molecular)

Question 1

What system is included in the molecular defenses of the 2nd line?

Answer 1

• The Complement System

Question 2

What is the complement system? (2)

Answer 2

• About 30 proteins that circulate in blood
• work together in a cascade

Question 3

What is a cascade?

Answer 3

• Action of one protein triggers action of the next

Question 4

How can the complement system be activated?

Answer 4

• small molecules binding to the surface of invading microbes (see slide 10)

Question 5

In lecture, what protein initiates all cascades?

Answer 5

C3B

Question 6

In lecture, how is Ehrlich related to the complement system?

Answer 6

• said the complement system is a heat resistant (sensitive) component of the immune system (antibodies)

Question 7

After the complement cascade is activated, what are three results that could occur?

Answer 7

1. Opsonizaation
2. Enhance inflammation
3. Lysis of foreign cells

Question 8

What occurs in opsonization?

Answer 8

• attach to microbes and act as a flag to attract phagocytes

Question 9

What occurs in enhanced inflammation? (2)

Answer 9

• increase blood vessel permeability
• attracts phagocytes to infection site

Question 10

What occurs in the lysis of foreign cells? (3)

Answer 10

• Formation of membrane attack complexes? MACS
• pokes holes in membranes
• kills gram - bacteria but not gram +
  in lecture, C5B cannot insert properly in PG layer