Foundations of Immunology 1

Question 1

What two divisions of the immune systems do we possess?

Answer 1

Innate (non-specific) and Adaptive (highly specific)

Question 2

Describe the action of the innate immune system

Answer 2

• Non-specific
• First to come into play
• Will produce the same response time and again - no immunological memory

Question 3

Describe the action of the adaptive immune system

Answer 3

• Highly specific
• Immunological memory
• Antibody production

Question 4

State the type of cells exclusive to the innate immune system

Answer 4

Macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells and granulocytes

Question 5

Name relevant granulocytes

Answer 5

NKC, Basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils

Question 6

State the types of cells exclusive to the adaptive immune system

Answer 6

B-cells and T-cells

Question 7

Describe the production of macrophages

Answer 7

Monocytes produced in bone marrow - mature into macrophages

Question 8

Other than phagocytosis, what do macrophages do in an immune response?

Answer 8

• Give off chemicals that restrict blood flow away from injury site (redness)
• Contraction of endothelial cells (swelling)
• Produce cytokines to alert other cells

Question 9

What are the most abundant types of leukocytes?

Answer 9

Neutrophils

Question 10

What are eosinophils?

Answer 10

Granulocytes that help combat parasitic infections

Question 11

What causes anaphylactic shock?

Answer 11

Severe Mast cell degranulation

Question 12

Describe the process of anaphylactic shock in terms of first and second exposures to a allergen

Answer 12

On first exposure, people have a huge response and produce lots of IgE antibodies which bind to the mast cell Fc (constant regions)

On second exposure the allergen bind to the IgE receptors associated with the mast cells and they degranulate.

This is essentially a chain reaction and causes massive degranulation across the whole body

Question 13

What are some of the symptoms of anaphylactic shock?

Answer 13

Increase permeability in blood vessels causes fluid to escape - leads to decreased blood volume, runny nose, watery eyes and in more extreme cases, heart attack. Histamine can also cause airways to constrict and close

Question 14

What is the least common WBC?

Answer 14

Basophils

Question 15

List some non-specific humoral factors

Answer 15

• Growth inhibitors
• Enzyme inhibitors
• Lysins
• Complement proteins

Question 16

What is the complement system?

Answer 16

One of the major effector mechanisms of humoral immunity

Question 17

List the activation pathways of the complement system

Answer 17

Classical, alternative and lectin

Question 18

What is the aim of the game for the activation of the complement system?

Answer 18

Create C5 convertase

Question 19

Describe the steps after activation of the complement system

Answer 19

C5 is cleaved into C5a and b - C5b combines with C6, 7, 8 and 9 to form the MAC (Membrane attack complex) - a pore which allows for cell lysis

Question 20

What are the residual C3a and C5a used for?

Answer 20

Chemoattractants - recruit other cells (macrophages and neutrophils) to the site of infection

Question 21

What are the four overall functions of the complement system?

Answer 21

• Induce cell lysis of microbes
• Promote phagocytosis
• Stimulate phagocytosis
• Activates B cells

Question 22

What are cytokines?

Answer 22

Chemicals used by cells to communicate with other cells

Question 23

What is an inflammatory response?

Answer 23

General term which relates to the summative effects of many different immune responses against foreign bodies

Question 24

What are the two classifications of inflammation?

Answer 24

Acute and chronic

Question 25

What is acute inflammation?

Answer 25

The body’s initial response to a harmful stimuli

Question 26

What is chronic inflammation?

Answer 26

Leads to a progressive shift in the type of cells which are present at the site of inflammation - characterised with simultaneous destruction and healing of tissue from the response