Histo HemeOnc Flashcards
Lymphatic system provides what?
immune response to antigens (proteins, carbs, lipids, or nucleic acids)
What are the effector cells of the lymphatic system? What are the three main types?
lymphocytes: B, T, NK
What are the supporting cells of the lymphatic system and what is their role?
- stromal cells - support cells forming loose meshwork creating a good environment for lymphocytes
- monocytes/macrophages, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and dendritic cells - assist with antigen presentation and regulation of the immune response
What is innate immunity?
- not specific,
- does not require exposure to an antigen
- functional at birth
- natural barriers (physical or chemical)
- phagocytic and NK cells
Adaptive immunity
- specific
- develops after exposure to antigen
- induces resistance against pathogens
- two types
- humoral immunity
- cell-mediated immunity
humoral immunity
- mediated by abs acting on invading agent
- abs produced by B lymphocytes and plasma cells
- best against extracellular bacteria
Cell mediated immunity
- Tc lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes/macrophages, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes
- attack and destroy virus infected host cells, foreign and tumor cells
- effective v intracellular and extracellular pathogens
What are the two primary lymphatic organs?
bone marrow and thymus
initially, lymphocytes in the primary lymphatic organs are programmed to….
recognize a single antigen in process called antigen-independent proliferation and differentiation
What kind of tissue is bone marrow?
reticular connective tissue, filling the internal spaces of bone
How is bone marrow separated from the bone proper?
endosteum
How does blood get to the bone marrow cavity?
nutrient arteries through bone, into arterioles, into plexus of capillary sinusoids aka venous sinuses
What is the general structure of bone marrow?
- hemopoietic cords of cells supported by reticular fibers surround the venous sinuses;
- cords of cells contain blood cell precursors, mature blood cells, adipocytes, and stromal cells
Composition of bone marrow in young v old
younger people have fewer adipocytes in bone marrow and this is called “red marrow”
adults have more adipocytes in the bone marrow and are called “yellow marrow”
What are the stromal cells in bone marrow and what do they do?
CT cells like fibroblasts and macrophages; important role in secreation of facters to stimulate hemopoiesis like IL-11
Where do B cells become immunocompetent B cells?
bone marrow and MALT
Where do T cells become immunocompetent?
originate in bone marrow and then become immunocopetent in thymus
What does the organ of the thymus look like?
asymmetric, bilobed organ in the superior mediastinum on the posterier side of the manubrium of the sternum
At what point in life is the thymus the largest?
thymus is largest in kids and begins to regress at puberty
What pharyngeal pouches does the thymus originate from?
3rd and 4th pharyngeal pouches
When do CLP cells from the bone marrow invade the epithelium rudiment of the thymus?
about 10th week
What does the stroma of the thymus originate from?
endodermal origin
Where do lymphocytes and macrophages originate from?
mesodermal origin (bone marrow derived)
What is the most abundant cell of the thymus?
T lymphocyte aka thymocyte
How many of the T cells that start the differentiation process undergo apoptosis and are phagocytized?
98%
What cells support lymphocytes and provide framework for developing T cells? What are they like?
epithelioreticular cells
true epithelial cells and connected by occluding junctions and desmosomes forming a cytoreticulum; have basal lamina; DO NOT secrete reticular fibers like the true reticular cells of the LNs
In the thymus, what cells are dispersed among the T cells? What do they do?
Macrophages
responsible for phagocytosis of T cells that do not fulfill thymus education requirements
What is the histological structure of the thymus capsule?
- well-developed CT capsule
- divided into lobes
- CT dives into parenchyma in thin struts, forming trabeculae, dividing the thymus into incomplete lobes
What is the cortex of the thymus like?
- outer, densely cellular portion of each lobule
- densely packed lymphocytes giving a basophilic appearance
- least differentiated lymphocytes found here, then mature and go toward medulla
What is the medulla of the thymus like?
- less cellular part of lobules
- lighter stain than cortex
- has mature, differentiated T cells, macrophages
- Hassal’s corpuscles - concentric structures of epithelioreticular cells
- center can have keratin pearl
What prevents antigens from escaping cortical capillaries into the thymus cortex to avoid contact with developing T cells?
Blood-thymus barrier
What are the three mechanisms of the blood-thymus barrier?
- tight junctions between the endothelial cells of the thymus cortical continuous capillaries
- perivascular CT surrounding caps is loaded with macrophages that phagocytose antigens that manage to get through epithelium
- endothelioreticular cells form occluding junctions around capillaries and together w their basal laminae form the third component of the blood-thymus barrier
Vaguely, what is T cell education?
- see if T cell is good enough to complete mission later
- several steps, characterized by a change in the expression and deletion of certain surface markers
What is the earliest stage in T cell education? Where does this occur?
double negative stage
in outer cortex, close to the capsule of the thymus
What happens during the double-negative stage?
lymphocytes do not have either CD4 or CD8 and only posess CD2 and CD7 on their cell surface
Where does the double-positive stage occur? What is expressed at this time?
occurs in cortex of thymus
T cells expressing TCR, CD3, and both CD4 and CD8 on cell surface
What happens in the double-positive stage?
T cells are presented with both self-MHC and self- and foreign antigens
if they fail to recognize either they are eliminated;
the cells that do recognize those in the process (positive selection) leave the cortex and enter the medulla
What happens after positive selection? Where does this next step take place?
negative selection
in the medulla
What is the process of negative selection?
double positive cells in the medulla that recognize self-antigen presented by self-MHC are eliminated
Surviving cells of negative selection become what? What is this stage called?
What do the cells do now?
either CD8+ Tc or CD4+ T helper
lose the other CD marker so now they are single-positive stage
they are allowed to leave the thymus and enter circulation
What are the secondary lymphatic organs?
MALT, GALT, BALT, tonsils, LNs, and spleen
Where do lymphocytes undergo antigen-dependent activation?
secondary lymphatic organs
What is MALT typically formed of? (3 major manifestations)
diffuse lymphoid tissue
single lymphoid follicles
aggregated lymphoid follicles
What does not have a capsule and consists of loosely arranged immune cells?
diffuse lymphoid tissue
Where is diffuse lymphoid tissue mostly found?
lamina propria of the GIT, respiratory passages and GUT
After contact with antigen in diffuse lymphoid tissue, where do the lymphocytes go?
travel to lymph nodes where they undergo proliferation and differentiation;
progeny of these cells then return to lamina propria as effector B and T lymphocytes