FINAL: Immunity Flashcards
What is the flow of lymph
Interstitial fluid enters lymphatic capillaries, gets filtered by white blood cells in lymph nodes, and transported back to the bloodstream at the left and right subclavian veins
What are the functions of the lymphatic system
Exist as a part of the immune system and filter bodily fluids
Also mobilizes fluid
What are lymph nodes
They house the white blood cells that help with immunity
What are the tonsils
Located in the head and neck region, additional clusters of lymphatic tissue
What is the thymus gland
“College for T-cells”
Where t-cells go to learn to make sure that they are good t-cells
Located in the chest
What is the function of the spleen
Recognizes old RBCs and pulls them out of circulation and filters the blood
What are sinuses
Spaces in lymph nodes that contain white blood cells
- capillaries provide oxygen and nutrients for the cells
Where are blood stem cells made
Red bone marrow
What is the difference between the common lymphoid stem cell line and the common myeloid stem cell line
Lymphoid: creates natural killer and small lymphocyte cells (t and b)
Myeloid: creates all other RBCs, WBCs and platelets
What is a pathogen
They are varied and cause disease/infection in a host organism
Ex: viruses and bacteria
What is a virus
Multi-celled but can only reproduce inside a plant, animal or person
What is bacteria
Tiny one-celled creatures that can live inside and outside the body
Where do bacterial infections occur
In the extracellular areas (such as in the bloodstream)
- they tend to make you sick from the immune response, or toxins produced by the bacteria
Where do virus infections occur
They occur in our cells, they change the DNA so that they can reproduce
What are the two ways that our body deals with pathogens
Specific and non-specific responses
What are specific responses
Attack a specific identified pathogen
- cell-mediated immunity or antibody-mediated immunity
Target a single pathogen and result in future protection (immunity)
What are non-specific responses
Attack any pathogen
- external barriers, phagocytosis cells, natural killer cells, fever, inflammation
What is an antigen
Molecules that have the potential to generate antibodies (create immune responses)
- most commonly proteins or carbohydrates found in the plasma membrane, envelope (virus) or cell wall of pathogens
- antibodies only interact with specific antigens
- exist on the surface of microorganisms like bacteria and viruses
What are “self-antigens”
They exist, but typically do not trigger a response
- t-cells that respond to self-antigens are destroyed
What happens if a self-antigen triggers an immune response?
Autoimmune disease
What does blood type describe
The antigens in our RBCs
- there are ~30 types of antigens
- genetic determine your antigens
- 2 major types:
- ABO (sugar)
- Rh (protein)
- often represented as + for present or - for absent
What are the ways that antigens are recognized by our immune system
Antibodies and B cells (with antibodies on their surface): can directly bind to antigens on the surface of the pathogens
T-cells: need the antigen to be engulfed, processed and presented by phagocytic or infected cells
Non-specific Defense: External Barriers
- integumentary system (skin): dryness, acidity
- mucous membranes: trap pathogens
Non-specific Defense: Phagocytic cells
- remove pathogens by engulfing them
- includes dendritic cells and macrophages, which are critical to specific immunity because they present antigens they engulf
Non-specific defense: Natural Killer Cells
Recognize certain types of abnormal antigens presented by cells in viruses
Results in destruction of the infected cell
Non-specific defense: Fever
- increase in body temperature
- caused by pyrogens (chemicals)
- proteins released during phagocytosis
- results in brain “resetting” body’s thermostat
- increases metabolism to speed up the immune response