Immune System Flashcards
Koch’s four postulates
- Pathogen must be found in every host and every case
2.Same pathogen must be isolated from host and grown in pure culture - when placed in a healthy host, that pathogen must cause the same disease
- When pathogen is isolated from the new host, it has to be proven the original pathogen
Antibiotics
Chemical substances derived from mold or bacteria that kill micro-organisms
Immunity
ability of the body to resist or eliminate potentially harmful foreign materials
Immune System Functions
- Defends against invading pathogens
- Removing worn out cells
- Identifying and destroying abnormal cells
Immune responses turned against healthy host cells lead to
- Auto-immune disorders
- Allergies
Monocytes
Transformed into macrophages; tissue-bound, and phagocytic specialists
Primary pathogens that activate the immune system
- Bacteria -
- Viruses ( more common - 94% of febrile illness - acellular
Lymphocytes
(especially in the lymphatic system)
- B lymphocytes - turn into plasma cells that secrete antibodies
- T lymphocytes - cell mediated immunity (from Thymus)
Leukocytes
Immune system effectors.
(arise from bone marrow)
Neutrofils
highly mobile phagocytes
Eosinopohils
Secrete chemicals to fight parasites; also involved in allergic reactions
Basophils
Similar to mast cells. Release histamine and heparin, also involved in allergic reactions.
lymphoid tissue(s)
[store, produce and process lymphocytes]
- Bone Marrow (makes B lymphocytes)
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
- Tonsils
- Adenoids
- Appendix
- Peyer’s patches in digestive tract
Innate (Non-specific) Immunity
- First line of defense
- Cannot recognize a specific pathogen - Binds to pathogenic markers
- Rapid but limited - works immediately when the body is exposed to a threatening agent.
- Non- selectively defends body from foreign invaders
Four innate immunity defenses
- Interferon
- Natural Killer Cells
- Complement System
- Inflammation
Adaptive Immunity
Specifically targets foreign material to which the body has already been exposed.
Inflammatory responses
- Resident macrophages defend against invasive bacteria in the first hour
- Redness: Arterioles serving the invaded area dilate
- Swelling: Histamine is released to increase capillary permeability in the area.
- Interstitial clots wall off inflamed area
- Plasma proteins can leave the blood and enter the area
- Pus: Neutrofils or monocytes emigrate from the blood into the area and destroy bacteria.
- Heat: Increased local metabolism
Opsonins
mark bacteria for destruction via macrophages and neutrofils
Drugs that suppress the inflammatory process
- NSAIDs
- Glucocorticoids
- Inflixmabe (Remicade)
- Chemotherapy drugs (methotrexate)
- Interferon transiently inhibits virus replication.
Interferon mechanisms
- Triggers the production of virus-blocking enzymes by potential host cells
- The enzymes remain inactive unless cells are attacked by viruses
- released nonspecifically from any cell infected by a virus.
- It has anticancer effects
Natural Killer Cells
(Effector Lymphocytes-naturally occuring)
Destroy virus infected and cancer cells by lysing membranes.
Immediate non-specific defense
Complement System
(Plays a role in adaptive immunity in addition)
- Made up of plasma proteins of the liver.
- Activated by exposure to particular carbohydrate chains on the surface of microbes and anitbodies produced by foreign invaders.
- Leads to the membrane lysing.
Has three paths:
(1) - Classical pathway - Ab - Ag binding - attracts immune system for destruction.
(2) - Alternate - microbe has PAMP - (peptidoglycan like) - circulating microbes bind directly
(3) - Lectin pathway - microbe has carbohydrate containing manmose on cell surface. Lectin - binds surgars only found on microbes.
**All pathways lead to C3 protein hydrolysis.
C3a + C3b —-> C3b leads to C protein activation
C9 - causes pore to form on microbe cell membrane that leads to cytolysis of dangerous cell.
Adaptive Immunity attributes and types
Specifically targets the foreign material to which the body has already been exposed.
- Antibody mediated (humoral response)
- Cell - mediated immunity
Immunity branches and elements
Innate and Adaptive
B-Cell Function
- Formed in the bone marrow and control antibody mediated immunity.
- Each B cell has a receptor for one type of antigen.
- Binding of B cell + antigen - creates B cell differentiation
- B cells proliferate plasma cells to secrete a specific antibody response to initial antigen.
Thymosin
Hormone secreted from the thymus to stimulate T cell production
Membrane Attack Complexes
- Antibody molecules attach to antigens on pathogen membrane.
- Complement proteins link two antibodies.
- Activated complement proteins attach pathogens membrane forming a membrane attack complex.
- MAC pore(s) lyse cell.
Lymphocyte attributes
- Lymphocytes have receptors to recognize one distinct antigen.
Toll-like receptors
(TLRs) are part of innate effectors that recognize generic traits of all pathogens. Begin defense immediately by producing cytokines.
Bridge between innate and adaptive.
IgG
Most abundant antibody. The only antibody that can cross the placenta conferring passive immunity to the fetus from mother. (Can also pass via breast milk)
IgM
Act as B-cell surface receptors for antigen attachment. 1st antibody form in infection. Fights antigens in blood, and functions in classical complement pathway.
IgA
Major antibody found in mucosa. Lines digestive, respiratory, and GI systems. Is passed passively mother to baby via breast milk.
IgE
Mostly involved with allergic rxns and parasitic worms. Aids in histamine release.
IgD
Uncertain function, found on B cell surfaces- may play a role in B cell maturation and maintenance.
Immune complex disease
Over eager Ab-Ag response causes damage to normal and invading foreign cells.
Can cause kidney damage.
Can occur in bacterial, viral or parasitic infections
Antibody anatomy
All antibodies are made up of five, interlinked peptide chains.
The binding sites on the y section determines its specificity
How antibodies coordinate with innate immunity
Amplify innate immune responses to promote antigen destruction.
Activate the complementary system and MAC.