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Immunobiology > Geeky Medics > Flashcards

Geeky Medics Flashcards

1
Q

Where are immune cells made?

A

Bone marrow.

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2
Q

What process describes the formation of immune cells?

A

Haematopoeisis.

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3
Q

Where is the thymus gland located?

A

Just in front of the heart in the mediastinum.

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4
Q

Where do lymphocytes mature?

A

In the thymus gland.

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5
Q

When mature where to lymphocytes migrate to?

A

They migrate to lymph nodes situated along the lymphatic vasculature.

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6
Q

What is the function of the lymph nodes?

A

They filter lymph and provide a site for antigen presentation to the adaptive immune system.

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7
Q

After lymph has been filtered in the nodes how is it returned to circulation?

A

After filtration lymph is returned to systemic circulation via the thoracic duct, which joins the left subclavian vein.

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8
Q

What is the function of the spleen?

A

The spleen is basically a massive lymph node. It is therefore a site of antigen presentation to mature lymphocytes.

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9
Q

Which system is the spleen part of?

A

It is part of the reticulo-endothelial system.

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10
Q

What is the function of the reticulo-endothelial system?

A

It filters blood and removes old cells, tissue debris, pathogens and immune complexes. It also stores red blood cells and immature monocytes.

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11
Q

What is the main role of the liver?

A

The liver is a site of antigen presentation and contains phagocytes and lymphocytes. It also filters blood which could be contaminated. It also synthesises acute phase proteins such as CRP.

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12
Q

What are barrier mechanisms?

A

These are physical and chemical barriers that prevent the invasion of infective organisms.

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13
Q

Name some barrier defensive.

A 
Intrinsic epithelial barriers.
Longitudinal flow of air or fluid.
Mucus movement.
Desquamation.
Natural acids.
Antibacterial peptides on the skin.
Normal bacterial flora.
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14
Q

Describe the intrinsic epithelial barriers.

A

These exist between the body and the outside world. Epithelial cell walls have very tight junctions between them and are thus hard to penetrate. Examples include the mouth linings, nasal passages, lungs and GI tract.

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15
Q

How can the flow of air and fluid prevent infection?

A

This creates a flushing action which prevents the adhesion of bacteria to surfaces where they could proliferate and invade.

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16
Q

How can the movement of mucus prevent infection?

A

The movement of mucus by cilia in the lungs can prevent the stagnation of secretion and the adherence of inhaled droplets and particles. Mucus is moved upwards towards the pharynx where it is then swallowed or coughed up.

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17
Q

How can desquamation of the skin prevent infection?

A

This prevents the adherence of microorganisms.

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18
Q

How can the body’s natural acids prevent infection?

A

These destroy invaders and include fatty acids on the skin, lysozymes in saliva and hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

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19
Q

How can the body’s natural flora prevent infection?

A

These colonise various parts of the human body and compete with infective microorganisms and produce antimicrobial substances.

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20
Q

What are granulocytes?

A

These are a family of white blood cells that contain granules in their cytoplasm.

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21
Q

What are neutrophils?

A

They are a type of white blood cell that make up 40-75% of WBC.

They are the first line of defence against all infections. They phagocytose invading organisms and present antigens to the immune system.

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22
Q

How do neutrophils function?

A

They phagocytose invading organisms and present antigens to the immune system.

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23
Q

What are eosinophils?

A

They are a type of white blood cell and make up 1-6% of all WBC in a count. They act against multicellular parasites such as worms by dissolving their cell surfaces.

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24
Q

Describe the structure of eosinophils.

A

They have bilobed nuclei and intracellular granules which stain brick red.

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25
Q

What type of WBC are effective against worm parasites?

A

Eosinophils.

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26
Q

Describe the cell structure of neutrophils.

A

They have segmented nuclei and their cytoplasm is full of purple intracellular granules.

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27
Q

What are basophils?

A

They are a type of white blood cell making up just 0-1% in a count. They are the circulating counterparts of tissue mast cells.

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28
Q

What roles do basophils have?

A

They have roles in inflammation, parasitic infections and allergic reactions.

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29
Q

What are monocytes and macrophages involved in?

A

Phagocytosis and antigen presentation.

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30
Q

What are blood monocytes?

A

They are a type of white blood cell that make up 2-10% in a count. They are produced in the bone marrow and at their target tissue become macrophages.

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31
Q

Where are blood monocytes produced?

A

Bone marrow.

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32
Q

What do monocytes mature into?

A

Macrophages after they travel in the bloodstream to their target tissue.

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33
Q

What roles do monocytes have?

A

Phagocytosis, antigen presentation and cytokine production.

34
Q

Describe the cell structure of monocytes.

A

They are large cells with fine granules and horseshoe shaped nuclei.

35
Q

From which cells are tissue macrophages derived?

A

Blood monocytes.

They differentiate once they reach their target tissues and express CD14 receptors.

36
Q

What is the role of tissue macrophages?

A

They destroy pathogens, foreign debris and old or dead cells from their tissues through PHAGOCYTOSIS.

37
Q

In addition to phagocytosis what roles to macrophages complete?

A

Antigen presentation and the activation of memory cells.

38
Q

Describe the cell structure of tissue macrophages.

A

They have large cells with horseshoe shaped nuclei.

39
Q

What does the words macrophage mean?

A

Big eater.

40
Q

What is the process of PSEUDOPODIA?

A

This is where macrophages extend their cell membranes around a foreign body or damaged cell in order to phagocytose it.

41
Q

What occurs once the material has been internalised by a macrophage?

A

It is contained within a large vesicle called a phagosome. This phagosome fuses with a lysosome which contains ROS or enzymes which break down its contents.

42
Q

Why are there many different types of macrophage?

A

This allows specificity and adaptation to certain tissue types.

43
Q

Name some of the types of macrophage.

A

Küpffer Cells - liver
Alveolar macrophages - lungs
Osteoclasts - bone
Microglial cells - neurones

44
Q

What is the main role of dendritic cells?

A

Antigen presentation.

45
Q

In addition to antigen presentation, what other roles do dendritic cells complete?

A

Activation of T helper cells and memory cells.

46
Q

Where are dendritic cells found?

A

In the bone marrow.

47
Q

How do dendritic cells become activated and differentiate?

A

They circulate in the bloodstream until they reach their target tissues. Here they are activated by pathogens and differentiate into their mature forms.

48
Q

After phagocytosis where do dendritic cells migrate?

A

They migrate to lymph nodes where they present antigens on their cell surface with the costimulatory molecules required to activate the adaptive immune response.

49
Q

What are Langerhans cells?

A

They are specialised dendritic cells that are found in the skin.

50
Q

What are lymphocytes?

A

They are specialised white blood cells with large nuclei and no granules. They make up 20-40% of a count.

There are three main subtypes: B cells, T cells and NK cells.

51
Q

What are the three main subtypes of lymphocytes?

A

B cells, T cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells.

52
Q

How can B cells and T cells be differentiated from one another?

A

They can only be identified through specialist serology or staining for specific cell surface markers known as clusters of differentiation (CDs).

53
Q

Do B and T cells contain granules?

A

No

54
Q

To NK cells contain granules?

A

Yes, some.

55
Q

Which are the main B cell surface markers?

A

CD19, CD20 and CD21 and MHC2.

56
Q

What process are B cells important for?

A

They are essential for humoral immunity (the antibody-mediated immune response).

57
Q

What are plasma cells?

A

They are mature B cells which secrete antibodies that recognise foreign antigens and bind to them and destroy them.

58
Q

What is the role of memory B cells?

A

These remember the foreign antigens to allow the immune system to mount a quicker antibody response to any subsequent infections.

59
Q

What percentage of the lymphocyte population do T cells account for?

A

About 70%.

60
Q

What co-receptor do all T cells express on their surface?

A

CD3 and also TCRs.

These recognise specific antigens presented in an MHC1 or MHC2 molecule.

61
Q

What are CD4 cells also known as?

A

Helper T cells.

62
Q

What are CD8 cells also known as?

A

Cytotoxic T cells.

63
Q

What is the role of helper T cells (CD4)?

A

These facilitate the activation of the immune response and stimulate division and differentiation of various effector cells.

64
Q

What is the role of cytotoxic T cells (CD8)?

A

These are also known as killer or effector T cells - they provide cell mediated immunity by targeting and killing infected cells.

65
Q

What is the role of regulatory T cells?

A

Regulatory T cells (CD25 and FOXP3) are also known as suppressor T cells and play a vital role in limiting the immune response to prevent excessive damage to tissue and organs.

66
Q

What is the role of memory T cells?

A

Memory T cells (CD62 and CCR7) remember what has happened to allow the immune system to mount a faster, more effective response should the offending organism return.

67
Q

What coreceptors do Natural Killer cells express?

A

CD15 and CD56, many also express CD8.

68
Q

What roles are Natural Killer cells important in?

A

They form part of the innate and adaptive immune systems. They are able to destroy pathogens and infected cells without the need for prior activation by specific antigens. They are important in viral immunity and tumour rejection.

69
Q

What are the four main components of the normal immune response?

A
  1. Pathogen recognition.
  2. Inflammatory response.
  3. Antigen presentation.
  4. Targeted antigen-specific response.
70
Q

What is the first line of defence against infection?

A

The innate immune system, it is fast but non-specific and has no memory.

71
Q

What cells are the most important in the innate immune system?

A

Phagocytes are an important part of the IIS, they act to fight the new infection and present antigens.

72
Q

Give examples of professional phagocytes.

A

Dendritic cells, blood monocytes, tissue macrophages and neutrophils.

73
Q

Why are neutrophils not found in healthy tissue?

A

They only appear in response to infection or injury.

74
Q

How do phagocytes identify pathogens?

A

They recognise pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) using pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs)

75
Q

Once a pathogen has been internalised what does the phagocyte do to it?

A

It kills them and digests them down to their component proteins.

76
Q

How do phagocytes present the digested protein antigens to the cells of the AIS?

A

Via Major Histocompatibility Complexes (MHC) on their surfaces.

77
Q

What is the role of MHCs?

A

The MHC complex acts as a safety mechanism. It prevents the immune system from being activated too easily, as it ensures the T cells can only react to an antigen if it is presented within an MHC complex. This is known as MHC restriction.

78
Q

What occurs when phagocyte PRRs are exposed to PAMPs?

A

NFKB is activated.

79
Q

What is NFKB?

A

NFKB is a transcription factor which results in the release of pro inflammatory cytokines and the initiation of the inflammatory response.

80
Q

What does NFKB trigger?

A

The release of pro inflammatory cytokines, initiating the inflammatory response.

Immunobiology (3 decks)

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