Chapter 17: Types of Immunity and Immunology Flashcards
Immunity
The ability of an organism to recognize and defend itself against an infectious agent
Susceptibility
The opposite of immunity. Being vulnerable to harm by infectious agent
Immunology
The study of adaptive immunity and how the immune system responds to the specific infectious agents and toxins
Adaptive/Acquired immunity
The ability of a host to mount a defense against a particular infectious agent by physiological responses specific to that infectious agent, not hereditary immunity
Naturally Acquired immunity
(1) Most often obtained by having a specific disease (2) Immune system responds to molecules called antigens and invading infectious agents (3) Activates T cells and produces molecules called antibodies
Example of Naturally acquired
Antibodies transferred from mother to fetus through placenta
Artificially acquired Immunity
Obtained by receiving an antigen by the injection of vaccine or immune serum that produces immunity
Active immunity
Created when the persons own immune system activates T cells or produces antibodies or other defenses against an infectious agent (antibodies can last a lifetime or just a few weeks/months)
Active Natural Immunity
Exposure to infectious agent; is produced when a person is exposed to an infectious agent
Active Artificial Immunity
Immunization; produced when a person is exposed to a vaccine containing, live, weakened or dead organisms or their toxins. Body’s immune system remembers the antigen to which it has responded from
Passive immunity
Created when ready-made antibodies are introduced into the body, passive because the host does not have to make antibodies
Passive Natural Immunity
Maternal antibodies; is produced when antibodies made b other hosts are introduced into a new host
Passive Artificial Immunity
Antibodies from other sources are injected (Being injected with antivenin injection after being bitten by poisonous snake)
Antigen
A substance the body identifies as foreign and toward which it mounts an immune response to or an “immunogen”
What are antigens made of?
(1) Large complex protein molecules (2) Some are polysaccharides, some are glycoproteins and some are nucleoproteins
Why are proteins used to make antigens?
Proteins have a greater antigenic strength because they are more complex
Epitopes or antigenic determinants
Area on the molecule to which antibodies can bind
Polyclonal antibodies
Different antibodies that all recognize different epitopes on a specific microorganism
What determines the chemical structure of a cells antigen?
Genetic info
Do microorganisms have one or more antigens on their surface?
Can have multiple on their surface
Importance in making a vaccine
Determining how the body is going to react to different antigenic determinants
Hapten
Small molecule that can act as an antigen if it binds to a larger protein molecule, can act as epitopes on surface of proteins
Antibody
(1) A protein produced in response to an antigen that is capable of binding specifically to the foreign antigen (2) Each antigen binds to a specific antigenic determinant and may inactivate an antigen
Titers
(1) The quantity of a substance present in a specific volume of body fluid (2) Increases during infection (3) Serves as an indication of an immune response by the body