Functional anatomy of the immune system Flashcards
What is the function of a primary lymphoid organ? What happens there?
Specialized environment where lymphocytes mature and become functional.
What are the primary lymphoid organs?
Thymus, Bursa of Fabricius and Bursal equivalents
Mammals do not have a bursa, what are their bursal equivalents?
Ileocecal Peyer’s Patches
Why is dysfunction of the primary lymphoid organs important?
T and B cells will not be educated
What is the function of a secondary lymphoid organ? What happens there?
Where functionally mature cells respond to antigens, localize immune response to specific regions of the body
What are the secondary lymphoid organs?
Lymph nodes, Spleen, Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALTs)
What is unique about the structure of secondary lymphoid organs?
Cortex, Paracortex, Medulla
What is MALT? What happens here?
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, name based on location within body (gut/bronchus/mucosa); B-lymphocytes secrete IgA
What are the 4 main functions of the spleen? Are they all immunological?
Blood reservoir (NI), remove damaged red cells (NI), antigen processing and presentation (I), hematopoiesis (I)
What is the significance of the cell arrangement in the lymphoid organs?
ensures antigens entering in afferent lymph will encounter the important cells in the immune response
What are follicles and what is the interaction that takes place here?
found in the cortex of lymph tissues, contains B-lymphocytes, collection of follicular cells produce colloid, development of germinal centers
How do lymphocytes get from primary to secondary lymphoid organs?
bloodstream
