Defence Against Disease Flashcards
What is the role of the skin
it acts as a barrier
How does the upper respiratory tract defend against disease
cilia and mucus
How does the body prevent microbes getting in through breaks in the skin
by blood clotting at the site of a wound
What is the role of white blood cells
they defend against pathogens that gain entry
What are phagocytes
white blood cells that engulf and digest pathogens
What is phagocytosis
the action of phagocytes engulfing and digesting pathogens
What are lymphocytes
white blood cells that produce special chemicals called antibodies
What do antibodies do
that target and destroy specific pathogens or neutralise specific toxins released by pathogens
What does vaccination and immunisation involve
giving someone a dead or weakened form of the pathogen
How do white blood cells help immunity
- a pathogen enters the body
- the white blood cells “remember” it
- if it gets into the body again they will produce large amounts of the correct antibody very quickly before it can cause illness.
What does the involvement of vaccination and immunisation result in
- the stimulation of the relevant white blood cells
- produce antibodies against the pathogen
- without the person being exposed to the actual pathogen.
