Exam 3 Immunology Flashcards
Basic function of immune system
recognition and removal of non-self material
resist tissue damage due to infectious organisms
Innate immunity
general processes that destroy foreign materials
phagocytosis, gastric enzymes, skin barrier, immune paint
acquire immunity (specific immunity)
Exposure to a foreign agent and activation of lymphocytes (t-cells) and antibody production (B-cells)
Cell-mediated immunity
T-lymphocytes - directly does something to the microbes
Humoral immunity
B lymphocytes (creates antibodies that tag microbes for something else to destroy)
T and B cells live in
lymphoid tissues (lymph nodes, lymphoid patches in GI tracts, skin and circulatory system)
T and B cells “recognize” and are activated by
antigens on foreign/infectious agents
antigens
protein or polysaccharide molecules on the plasmalemma of normal cells and infectious agents
Natural Killer Cells (NK cells)
type of cytotoxic lymphocyte (characteristics similar to CTLs)
recognize damaged and infected cells (also believed to be responsible for identifying and killing tumors -cancer cells)
have membrane receptors that allow modulation of their activity; can stimulate or inhibit function through the action of these receptors
thought to evolve from t-cells as cells capable of directly affecting damaged self-cells
Main phagocytic cell of the immune system
macrophages
most invading organisms are first
phagocytized and partially digested by macrophages and dendritic cells
The antigenic products are
put on the macrophage cell membrane and presented to lymphocytes
Antigen presentation leads to
lymphocyte activation:
- B-cells make antibodies directed against antigen
- T-cells are activated to recognize antigen/microbe
Professional antigen presenting cells
maintain both Major histocompatibility complex class I and II (macrophages, dendritic cells - lymph node cells, and B-lymphocytes)
Non-professional APCs
typically only have MHC class I (endothelial cells -vessels, fibroblasts -CTs, Glial cells -CNS, Thymus cells - immune system organ, thyroid cells - endocrine organ)
Millions of differently exposed T and C lymphocytes are stored in the
lymph tissue
Each B cell forms
only one type of antibody
Each T cell is activated by
one single antigen and is responsive only to that antigen
One the lymphocyte is activated by its antigen
it is stimulated to proliferate and become active
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)
Complex of proteins utilized by antigen presenting cells
Consist of several smaller proteins (human leukocyte antigen; HLAs) polymerized together into one MHC
Exist as two separate classes MHC class I and MHC class II
MHC I and MHC II are located
on different cells and provide different ways of stimulating immune responses
what is responsible for the variation in MHCs
different HLAs
Specific Alpha and beta chains comprise the HLAs
MCH I
Occur on nearly all cells and professional APCs
Present antigenic proteins to lymphocytes (phagocytosis of extracellular microbes, bacteria/viruses, and cellular debris, self proteins, are presented as antigens
MCH I presentation stimulates
activity of CTLs (cytotoxic T-lymphocytes)
Activates CTLs
produce and release perforin and degradative enzymes
Perforin
puts membrane channels into infected cells (virus)
Degradative enzymes
proteases - enter cell and stimulate cell lysis/apoptosis (bacteria)
MHC II
present on professional APCs only,
some non-professional APCs can express these MHCs
Antigen presentation stimulates activity of T-helper cells (CD4+)
Th1 Cells
assist action of cytotoxic cells through the release of stimulatory cytokines
Th2 cells
assist B-cell production of antiboies
Tfh cells
assist b-cell differentiation into plasma cells and antibody production
T-regulator cells
assist in controlling immune response by reducing activity of CTLs and B-Cells
Cytotoxic T Cells (CTLs)
Directly kill antigen or non-self cell by protein channel insertion
Helper T-Cells
Stimulate activity of Killer T-cells and plasma cells
Suppressor T-cells (t-regulatory cells)
reduce activity of T or B cells i.e. limit immune response
Memory T Cells
activated during initial exposure to antigens, can activate quickly with re-exposure to same antigen
Lymphokine-producing T-cell
produce lymphokines enhance activity or T, B cells, and Macrophages
Once antigen is presented, Immature T-cells..
become active to proliferate and differentiate into: memory T-cells (reservoir of sensitized T-cells for quick response to re-exposure to antigen), Cytotoxic T cells (active T-Cells that immediately and directly destroy foreign microbes and damaged cells), Helper T-Cells (assist cytotoxic t-cell activity, phagocytosis and Ab production)
How cytotoxic t-cells work
T-lymphocyte recognizes antigen
t-lymphocyte inserts protein channel into invading cell
sodium and then water influxes and causes lysis of the microbe
T-cell can also bind and stimulate apoptosis (regulated cell death) -virally infected cell
How memory T-cells work
Normal t-cells are activated by an antigen
some of the activated t-cells become t-memory cells and are “dormant”
dormant cells until another antigenic exposure occurs