Immune System Flashcards
Name the two defense systems of the immune system
Nonspecific defense
Specific defense
Nonspecific defense (simple explanation)
- protects the body from all foreign invaders, regardless of their type or location
- mechanical barriers
Types of Nonspecific defenses (4)
- skin
- mucous membranes
- inflammatory response
- proteins
Skin (characteristics)
- unbroken skin = physical barrier to most microbes
- sweat + sebum (oil) = acidic to inhibit bacterial growth
- sebum also contains antibacterial compounds
(1st line of defence)
Mucous membranes (characteristics)
- physical barrier in all body cavities that open to the exterior
- some are ciliated to sweep foreign particles away
- some secrete acids or enzymes to inhibit bacterial growth
(1st line of defence)
Specific defense (simple explanation)
- the immune system
- involves specially formulated substances that attack specific antigens the body has come into contact with previously
Innate immunity
1st and 2nd line of defence
second line of defence
general couple of cells that still attack an invader that gets passed 1st line of defence
second line defence (examples)
cells and chemicals:
- phagocytosis
- natural killer cells
- inflammatory response
phagocytic cells
phagocytic cells are specialized white blood cells such as macrophages or neutrophils that engulf foreign particles and destroy them
natural killer cells
natural killer cells are a type of lymphocyte that blinds to certain tumor cells and virus-infected cells and kills them by injecting granules that contain special protein such as perforin, which creates hole in the plasma membrane
inflammatory response
- triggered by injury to body tissues
- damage cells release chemicals (histamine +kinins)
symptoms of inflammatory response
1) redness
2) heat
3) swelling
4) pain
5) loss of function (cant move etc)
1st line of defence (examples)
- skin
- mucous membranes
inflammatory chemical causes
1) blood vessels dilate = increasing blood flow to the damaged areas = leads to redness + heat
2) capillaries become leaky = allows plasma into tissues = leads to swelling
what does inflammatory chemicals also activate
pain receptors
- swelling increases pain by putting pressure on nerves
- pain and swelling can lead to loss of function
- pain alerts you to damage in the body do you don’t further injure yourself
white blood cells (such as phagocytes) are attracted to what?
attracted to damaged area by inflammatory chemicals