IM 1+2 Flashcards
what is the immune system?
a collection of things in the body that provide immunity
what is immunity?
the ability to resist or eliminate
what is susceptibility?
lack of resistance
what are pathogens?
viruses, and microbes such as parasites, fungi, and bacteria
what are the actions of the immune system?
defending against invading pathogens, removing worn out and damaged cells, facilitating wound healing and tissue repair, immune surveillance
undesired functions: allergies, rejection of transplants and grafts
what is the first line of defense?
external factors that act as BARRIERS, NOT a response
what are the physical barriers?
skin, hairs, mucus, reflexes
what are the chemical barriers?
sebum, lysozymes, stomach acid
where are lysozymes found?
sweat, tears, nasal secretions, tissue fluids
what are the two types of immune responses?
innate and adaptive
what is the encounter stage?
when the pathogen comes into contact with an immune cell
where can the encounter stage take place?
in a resident cell population in the spleen, lymph nodes, and lymphatic tissue, or in blood/lymphatic circulation
what is the recognition stage?
the pathogen and the immune cell bind together
how does the recognition stage work (innate)?
toll proteins on the surface of the immune cell bind to carbohydrates and lipids on the surface of the pathogen and recognize the specific arrangements
how do lysozymes function?
they break the cell wall of bacteria
what is the function of inflammation?
destroy/inactivate foreign invaders, and set the stage for tissue repair/healing
what are the usual signs of inflammation?
redness, swelling, heat, pain
what are the common causes of inflammation?
pathogens, chemical irritants, abrasions, extreme temperatures, cell distortion/disturbance
what happens in the first stage of inflammation?
a) chemical mediators are released to perform two functions
i) vasodilate microcirculation vessels to increase delivery of plasma proteins, leukocytes, O2 and nutrients
ii) endothelial cells of the blood vessels contract to increase permeability
iii) release of stored immune cells from spleen/lymph nodes
iv) proliferation of immune cells in bone marrow
what happens in the second stage of inflammation?
a) margination: phagocytes and endothelial cells bind to form adhesion molecules
b) diapedesis: phagocyte migration through blood vessel walls
c) chemotaxis: phagocyte migration to site of tissue damage, guided by cytokines (chemoattraction), fluid follows cell migration causing edema
what happens in the third stage of inflammation?
- worn out/dead/damaged cells are replaced
- new blood vessels may form (angiogenesis)
- tissue repair may leave scars
- remodelling may continue after initial repair
how does scar tissue differ from undamaged tissue?
denser collagen leads to decreased elasticity and blood flow to the tissue, less functional
how can we distinguish adaptive from innate responses?
adaptive cells (lymphocytes) recognize the specific threat, and can store memory of previously encountered markers
what are antigens?
any molecule that can bind to an antibody or lymphocyte receptor and trigger an immune response