Immune System Flashcards
Lymphoid organs
Structures in which lymphocytes develop, reside, or carry out immune response; spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, bone marrow, etc.
Primary lymphoid organs
Where stem cells develop into T and B cells
Secondary lymphoid organs
Where most immune responses occur
Bone marrow
Contain pluripotent stem cells that produce mature B cells and immature T cells
Thymus
Contains T cells, where T cells mature
Lymph nodes
All throughout body, filter microbes (destroyed by macrophages and lymphocytes)
Spleen
Removes microbes, removes aged/defective RBC
Innate immunity
Non-specific, no memory; includes first and second line of defense
First line of defense
External physical and chemical barriers
Physical barriers
Skin, mucous membranes, hair, sebum, gastric juice, vaginal secretions (acidic)
Second line of defense
Natural killer cells, phagocytes, fever, inflammation (NON-SPECIFIC)
Interferons
Discourage viral reproduction
Steps for neutrophil and macrophage activity
Adhere, ingest, digest, kill
Inflammation
Non-specific response to tissue damage
Signs of inflammation
Redness, pain, heat, swelling
Stages of inflammatory response
Vasodilation, emigration of phagocytes from blood, tissue repair
Complement system
Attract neutrophils/promote phagocytosis
Diapedesis
Phagocyte movement across capillary wall
Adaptive immunity
Specific, can have memory; involves antigens, antibodies,
How is adaptive immunity different from innate immunity?
Adaptive has specificity and memory
Cell mediated immunity
Adaptive immunity where cells attack other cells, involves cytotoxic T cells
Antibody mediated immunity
Adaptive immunity where B cells are used to secrete antibodies to bind antigens
Complete antigen
Immunogenicity and reactivity
Immunogenicity
Ability to provoke an immune response by stimulating production of specific antibodies
Reactivity
Antibody binds specifically to the antigen that provoked it
Epitopes
Antigenic determinants
Memory cells
Differentiate into more plasma cells in future infections with the saem antigen/microbe
Antibodies
Combine specifically with an epitope
Most common antibody
IgG
Antibody involved in allergic responses
IgE
Antibody functions
Agglutinating, neutralizing, precipitating, activating (complement), opsonization
Acquiring adaptive immunity
Naturally or artificially
Passive immunity
Person receives antibodies from another person or animal, temporary because does not involve memory cells; ex. mother to fetus
Artificial immunity
ex. vaccines, serum containing antibody
Natural immunity
Develops when a person is exposed to an antigen naturally, development of memory cells
