Final Flashcards
What is immunology?
Study of hosts reactions to foreign substances that are introduced into the body
What is an antigen?
A substance that reacts with an antibodies or sensitized cells but may or may not be able to elicit an immune response
What is immunity?
Condition of being resistant to infection
Who is the father of immunology?
- Louise Pasteur
- he created the first attenuated vaccine
What is attenuation?
- makes pathogens
- takes place through heat, aging and chemicals
What is phagocytosis?
Cells that eat cells
What is humoral immunity?
- Protection from disease resulting from substances in the serum/plasma (antibodies and acute phase reactants)
What are the two types of the adaptive immune response?
- cellular
- humoral
What is the function of humoral immunity?
Involves production of antibodies by B cells and plasma cells
What are antibodies?
- serum proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses
What is innate immunity?
An individual ability to resist infection by means of normally present body functions
What are characteristics of the innate immunity?
- nonspecific
- no memory
- immediate exposure
- same response for all pathogens
- influenced by nutrition, age, fatigue, stress, and genetic determinants
What is adaptive immunity?
Resistance that is characterized by specificity for each individuals pathogen
What are characteristics of adaptive immunity?
- delayed response
- stronger response
- specific
- has memory
What is the function of WBCs?
Defend against invasion by bacteria, virus, fungi, and other foreign substances
What are the 5 types of leukocytes?
- monocytes
- lymphocytes
- basophil
- eosinophil
- neutrophils
What WBC is part of the adaptive immunity?
Lymphocytes
What are the main cells found in tissues?
- dendritic cells
- macrophages
- mast cells
What are hematopoietic stem cells (HSC)?
All blood cell types arise from this cell
Where are WBC produced? How much?
- bone marrow
- one and a half billion daily
What two distinct types of precursors does HSC give rise to?
- common myeloid precursors (CMP)
- common lymphoid precursors (CLP)
What do CMPs do?
- give rise to WBC that participate in phagocytosis
- also known as myeloid line
What are characteristics of Neutrophils?
- life span in several days
- nucleus has 2-5 lobes (has lots of granules)
- 50-70% of WBC
- use wright stain
What is the main function of neutrophils?
Phagocytosis