FOUND-SOM-immunity Flashcards
What are the functions of the immune system?
- protect host from pathogenic microbes
- can help protect against cancerous cells
- tissue homeostasis and tissue repair
which pathogenic microbes does the immune system protect against?
- bacteria
- viruses
- fungi
- parasites
what are the 3 main types of immunity?
- physical
- innate (non-specific)
- adaptive (specific)
what is an antigen?
a molecule (or fragment of a molecule) that is recognised by antigen receptors expressed by T and B cells of the adaptive immune system, stimulating an immune response
what is an epitope?
part of an antigen recognised and bound by an antibody or by antigen receptors on T and B cells
What are the differences between innate and adaptive immunity (6)?
INNATE
-constitutive-always on
-responds rapidly
-relatively non-specific
-no memory response
-does not get more effective upon second exposure
-keeps infection under control until adaptive immunity kicks in
ADAPTIVE
-requires priming by antigens
-responds slowly (days)
-highly specific
-memory response
-self/non-self discrimination-avoids auto immune disease
-becomes more effective with repeated exposures
what are different cells associated with the innate immune system (7)?
- macrophage
- dendritic cells
- natural killer cells
- mast cells
- neutrophils
- basophils
- eosinophil
what are examples of sentinel cells and what is their role?
macrophage/ dendritic
- reside in tissues and recognise invading pathogens
- process information about the immune status of surrounding tissue and may consequently transmit these signals to the peripheral nervous system via production of cytokines
what is the role of phagocytes?
- reside in tissues or recruited from blood-engulf and kill invading pathogens by phagocytosis
- present pathogen’s antigens on cell surface-alert adaptive immune system
what are the roles of innate lymphoid cells?
- reside in tissues or recruited from blood
- NK cells kill infected or transformed cells
- produce cytokines
what are cytokines?
-broad category of small proteins that can be released from cells to carry out a variety of functions
Which cells are involved in the adaptive immune response?
- CD4+ T cells-helper
- CD8+ T cells-killer (cytotoxic T cells)
- B cells
where do CD4+/ CD8+ T cells develop?
-thymus
where do B cells develop?
-bone marrow
what are the roles of CD4+ T cell?
- secrete cytokines and chemokines
- cytokines communicate with other immune cells and activate other effector cells
- help B cells for antibody production
- help macrophage activation
- help neutrophil activation
- T reg cells suppress activity of other immune cells
what are the 2 main jobs of senitinel immune cells?
- destroy pathogen-phagocytosis
- initiate inflammatory response
what are the cardinal signs of inflammation?
- heat
- redness
- swelling
- pain
- loss of function
How do sentinel cells initiate an inflammatory response?
sentinels—->release of vasoactive molecules-cause vessels to leak and dilate-more WBCs to area
—>cytokines, chemokines-recruiting other immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes)——>increase vascular permeability—>inflammation
—>production of acute phase proteins-activate complement cascade from blood to tissue——>inflammation
how do dendritic cells alert the adaptive immune system?
- recognise, engulf and degrade pathogens-phagocytosis
- degrade protein antigens into short peptides
- take peptides and display on cell surface
- leave infection site and travel through lymphatic vessels to nearest draining lymph node-present those antigens to T cells
what is another name for dendritic cells?
Antigen-presenting cells
what are the roles of antibodies?
- bind and neutralise pathogens and enhance their uptake by phagocytes
- can activate complement to kill pathogens
what is the structure of antibodies?
-2 heavy pp chains
-2 light pp chains
-2 identical binding sites
-variable region-complementary to specific antigen
(FAB region)
-C-termini of 2 heavy chains combine to form Fc region-complement activation/ interaction with other immune cells
which cell type is most involved in cutaneous immunosurveillance?
Langerhans cell
what is a reticulocyte?
an immature erythrocyte without a nucleus
-formed in bone marrow and sent into circulation after about 2 days
what is the appearance of macrophages?
central round nucleus with a vacuole
what is the appearance of dendritic cells?
large branchlike projections coming off the body
what is the appearance of natural killer cells?
- single-lobed nucleus
- very little cytoplasm
what is the appearance of mast cells?
- ‘fried egg’ appearance of nucleus and cytoplasm
- granules
what is the appearance of neutrophils?
- multilobed nucleus
- granules
what is the appearance of basophils?
- 2-lobed nucleus
- purple-staining
- granules
what is the appearance of eosinophils?
- 2-lobed nucleus
- orange-staining
- granules
what does a monocyte develop into?
macrophage
what are the roles of macrophages?
- phagocytose pathogens
- may present the digested antibodies to stimulate the rest of the immune system
what are the roles of dendritic cells?
- phagocytose pathogens
- presents digested antibodies to trigger adaptive immune response
what is the role of natural killer cells?
-kills tumour and virus infected cells by releasing perforin
what are the roles of mast cells?
- causes vasodilation and inflammation
- degranulation to release heparin and histamines
- can phagocytose and present antigens too
what are the roles of neutrophils?
first responder at the site of infection
- degranulates releasing toxins which kill pathogens
- can also phagocytose
what are the roles of basophils?
- defends against parasites
- causes allergic inflammation by degranulation to release histamine and heparin