Human Immune System Flashcards
Steps of inflammatory response:
1) Mast cells (leukocytes that sit in tissues) detect injury to nearby cells and release histamine
2) Histamine dilate nearby capillaries allowing for increased blood flow and make the capillary walls more permeable allowing fluid and immune cells to get to site of injury
What are the five signs of inflammation?
(SLIPR)
1) Swelling: result of permeable capillaries causing blood vessels to become leaky which leads to fluid accumulating in nearby tissue
2) Loss of function: indirect outcome, swelling and pain causes part of body to become less usable
3) Iincreased heat: result of dilation of capillaries causing increased blood flow which results in higher temperature
4) Pain: slower, throbbing pain caused by swelling which exerts pressure on free nerve endings leading to continuous pain
5) Redness: result of dilation of capillaries causing redness of skin due to increased blood flow
Neutrophils
- Most numerous/most common WBC (make up 40-70% of WBC)
- One of the first cells recruited to inflammation site
- Phagocytes in innate immunity: eat (phagocytosis) & destroy pathogens and engulf all kinds of pathogens
- drawn to infected/injured areas by chemicals via chemotaxis
- slip between endothelial cells of capillaries and into tissues via diapedesis
Lymphocytes
Three types: B cells, T cells and natural killer cells
Originate from the bone marrow but end up concentrating in lymphatic organs (lymph nodes, spleen, thymus)
Natural killer cells
Lymphocyte part of the innate immune response
Attack and kill virus-infected cells or cancerous body cells by:
1) perforin: perforates (pokes holes) in pathogenic cell membranes, causing cel lysis (breakdown)
2) granzymes: proteases which stimulate a target cell to undergo apoptosis (useful for killing cancer cells)
Monocytes
- immature cells that circulate blood
- move into infected tissue (through diapedesis) and develop into macrophages (mature state)
- in its mature state, they are antigen-presenting cells that phagocytize pathogens nonspecifically for adaptive immunity
- monocytes can give rise to dendritic cells
Eosinophils
Cytoplasm are filled with granules which contain proteins that are released to kill pathogens
Especially effective against multicellular parasites
Basophils
Make up less than 1% of WBCs
Contains granules that can be released to nearby tissue
Granules contain histamine- vasodilation and make capillaries more permeable; and heparin- an anticoagulant (prevents blood from clotting too quickly)
Leave bone marrow as mature cells and circulate the blood
Mast cells
Leave bond marrow and circulate in blood as immature cells
They mature once they enter tissue
Innate immunity: complement system
A system of ~30 blood plasma proteins that help immune cells fight pathogens more effectively
The proteins turn each other on through activation of a complement cascade, producing a larger effect
Once a pathogen is recognize (or a pathogen bound antigen), a chain reaction of protease activity is triggered for the proteins to activate each other
Effects of the complement system:
1) improves the eating ability of phagocytosing cells through a process called opsonization: binds complement protein C3b to antigens which tags them for phagocytosis
2) amplifies inflammatory response: proteins bind to mast cells which causes stronger histamine release
3) lysing pathogen membranes: Membrane Attack Complex (MAC) pokes holes in pathogen membrane
How does Membrane Attack Complex (MAC) work?
1) MAC proteins group on the pathogen membrane
2) Salt and fluids enter the pathogen
3) Pathogen swells then bursts
What is the adaptive immunity system?
Specific immune response that targets specific antigens
Antigens
A marker or ID from a foreign molecule and triggers immune response
Cells with antigens = foreign cells; non-self
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I
Molecules on the cell surface of all nucleated cells that help the immune system recognize *self proteins * from non-self proteins
Every individual has their own unique MHC I molecules
Identical teens have the same MHC I expression
Made up of alpha 1, 2, 3 and beta-microglobulin protein chains
MHC I molecules and organ transplant
During organ transplant, donor organ will have different MHC I molecule which will be viewed as antigen (foreign ID) by our immune system
Our immune system will attack foreign organ which can lead to organ failure and transplant rejection
What should organ transplant patients take?
Immunosuppressants to lower/stop immune systems response to foreign organ
Causes patients to be more susceptible to general infections
Autoimmune disease
When the immune system mistakenly attacks self cells (MHC I)
Antigen-presenting cells (APCs)
Macrophages and dendritic cells
Have MHC I molecules and MHC II molecules on their cell surface
Used to present foreign antigens to activate immune cells
How do APCs bridge innate and adaptive response?
1) APCs phagocytoses pathogen
2) APCs break off antigen from pathogen
3) APCs load that antigen onto their MHC molecule (either class of MHC molecules)
4) antigen is presented to adaptive immune cells
Epitope
The section of the antigen that is recognizes by immune cells (B and T cells)
B cells
Conduct antibody-mediated immunity (humoral immunity: antibodies found in blood and lymph)
Controls productions and release of antibodies
Can act as antigen-presenting cells
Activation of B cells
1) **B cell receptors (BCR) bind to antigens epitope (either free-floating or APC presented antigens)
2) B cell becomes activated
3) B cell divides and makes copies of itself
Each B cell has a unique, uniform BCR that only binds one kind of antigen
Clonal selection model
1 specific antigen selects 1 specific B cell to clone itself
Since each B cell has a unique BCR, the antigen selects which BCR to bind to (decides which B cell to activate)
This model shows the amplification of the B cell that is specific to the antigen from the pathogen present
Through clonal expansion, these B cells divide into either plasma cells (antibody-secreting cells) or memory B cells (to be activated later in case of another attack)
