Describe the Anatomy & Physiology of the Immune System Flashcards
The Immune System protects the body from:
Disease-causing agents known as Pathogens
What is composed of both Innate Defense and Adaptive Defense?
The Immune System
Is Innate Defense considered a specific or nonspecific response to Pathogens?
Nonspecific
Is Adaptive Defense considered a specific or nonspecific response to Pathogens?
Specific
What are the 3 lines of defense in the Innate Immune System and what do each of them do?
1st line: Skin, Mucus, Secretions - keeps pathogens from entering the body
2nd line: Phagocytes, Specific Proteins, and Inflammatory Response) - fights pathogens that have entered the body
3rd line: Adaptive Immune System
What do Lymphocytes, such as B cells and various types of T cells, do?
They fight pathogens and retain memory of the specific pathogen
The Immune Systems prevents entry of pathogens through the presence of:
Barriers composed of the skin and secretions such as acid, enzymes, and salt
What happens when the external barriers are breached?
There are cells and chemicals that act as soldiers to attack the pathogens
What happens if the barrier fails?
The Adaptive Immune System specifically identifies, targets, and remembers the pathogens
Pathogens can enter:
Through body openings of the Digestive, Urinary, and Reproductive Systems; Injuries can also create ways for Pathogens to enter
What system is critical to the functioning of the Immune System and why?
The Lymph System because pathogens from the blood circulate through the lymph also
Where do B cells and T cells reside and when are they activated?
They reside in the Lymph Nodes and are activated when a pathogen is encountered
What is the Innate System?
A series of nonspecific barriers- physical, cellular, and soluble components- that impede pathogens from entering the body or from multiplying
What do External Barriers from the Innate System include?
The physical barrier of the skin, and mucus secretions; chemical barriers, such as low pH, salt, enzymes; and cellular barrier of commensal microorganisms
If the pathogen breaches the barriers and enters the blood or tissues, what happens?
A second line of defense is activated
What responses releases Histamines, increasing not only blood flow to the area but also the number of white blood cells to the area?
Inflammatory Response
What is another term for White Blood Cells?
Phagocytes
Phagocytes in the Inflammatory Response destroy:
Bacteria
What are Interferons?
Proteins that interfere with the production of new viruses and are released if a virus enters the body
Fevers are used by the body to:
Speed up the immune response
Internal Barriers from the Innate System include:
Antimicrobial peptides and “Natural Killer” (NK) lymphocyte cells that attack host cells that harbor intracellular pathogens
What are the two general responses to specific pathogens from the Adaptive Immune System?
Cellular or Humoral
What does a Cellular Response do?
Destroys the infected cell
What does the Humoral Response do?
Destroys pathogens found in body fluids using antibodies secreted by B cells
How does the Adaptive Immune System respond?
By remembering signature molecules called “antigens:” from pathogens to which the body has previously been exposed
What are the Adaptive Immune System’s functional cells?
Lymphocytes called T cells and B cells
What are Antigen-Presenting Cells? (APCs)
They digest pathogens and present the pathogen’s antigen signature to “helper” T cells. Example: Microphages
What cell is activated depending on the type of antigen presented to the helper T cell?
Either the Cytotoxic T cell or a B cell
Helper T cells produce ___ to activate a Cytotoxic T cell
Cytokines
Can the helper T cell activate B cells in response to a specific pathogen?
Yes
The Helper T cell induces the B cell to:
Multiply rapidly into secretory cells called “plasma cells”
Plasma cells produce large amounts of an antibody that can bind the ___ and ___ also clone into memory cells at the same time to allow the body to remember a specific Antigen
Antigen, B Cells
What happens when the Antigen appears again in the body?
Memory cells form plasma cells, which quickly produces the specific antibody to the antigen
What are the two ways to protect the body through either passive introduction of antibodies as a protective agent or its active production by the body?
Passive and Active Immunity
Can both Passive and Active Immunity be induced artifically?
Yes
What do Vaccinations do?
They introduce antigens that are weakened or killed to elicit an immune response
What introduces antibodies from another source that can rapidly neutralize toxins?
Passive Immunity
What is an example of Passive Immunity?
Rapid treatment for a snake bite
Many diseases are caused by:
A malfunction of the Immune System
Under-activity of the Immune System can cause:
Components to be ineffective
Caused by the Human Immunideficiency Virus (HIV) and affects helper T cells and prevents them from activating cytotoxic T cells and B cells and prevents the Adaptive Immune System from operating
Acquired Immune Deficiency (AIDS)
Overactive Immune Systems can target:
Innocuous foreign particles like pollen, causing the body to overproduce huge amounts of antibodies that trigger a histamine release from mast cells, which result in allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and mucus secretion
What is Autoimmune Disease?
A condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body
Name some examples of Autoimmune Disease:
Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Multiple Sclerosis
What does the Immune System work hand and hand with other Systems for?
To transport immune cells, signaling molecules, and antibodies throughout the body
The Circulatory System transports __ ___ ___ throughout the body
White Blood Cells
The Lymphatic System produces ___
Lymphocytes
The Vessels in the Lymph System drain fluid from body tissues and deliver foreign material to the lymph nodes to be processed by:
Lymphocytes
Red Bone Marrow produces ___ ___ ___
White Blood Cells
What System functions as the first line of defense for most of the body?
The Integumentary System
