Immune System Flashcards
What is humanities deadliest disease?
smallpox
How does immunization work?
antigens are artificially introduced to induce adaptive immunity
Define inoculation
the act of immunizing someone against a disease by introducing material
What is similar between immunological memory and immunization?
they expose the organism to antigens
Define clonal selection
the process by which body produces B and T cells in response to infections
What is an “inactivated” vaccine?
the vaccine contains a dead virus
What is a “live” vaccine?
the vaccine contains an attenuated (reduced) virus
What is “recombinant” vaccine?
the vaccine contains viral antigens
What is an “mRNA” vaccine?
the vaccine contains an mRNA code for the viral antigen
Define innate immunity
the first line of defense against pathogens that does not involve infection of the host
What kind of immunity do invertebrates exhibit?
strictly innate immunity
What is a hemocyte?
an immune system blood cell, especially in invertebrates
What kind of immunity do vertebrates exhibit?
innate AND adaptive immunity
Define adaptive immunity
the immune response that occurs after infection occurs
What kind of immunity is skin, mucus, and acidity?
innate immunity
What are phagocytic cells?
cells that arrive at the infection and boost immune responses
What is phagocytosis?
the process by which a phagocytic cell uses vacuoles to digest pathogens
What are the four functions of a macrophage?
- phagocytosis
- stimulates other immune cells
- removes dead cells
- secretes cytokines
Three types of phagocytic cells
macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cell
What are the three functions of a neutrophil cell?
- phagocytosis
- extracellular traps
- mediate inflammation
What are the two functions of a dendritic cell?
- phagocytosis
- displays antigens on its surface to boost immune response
What does a mast cell release?
histamines
What is the purpose of histamines?
they trigger the bodies response to inflammation, including dilating blood vessels
Is systemic inflammation innate or adaptive immunity?
innate
What is systemic inflammation?
inflammation throughout the whole body triggered by severe infections or tissue damage
What is septic shock?
whenever an infection causes the body to go into shock; organs fail and the heart slows
What is adaptive immunity?
pathogen-specific responses to infection
Are lymphocytes innate or adaptive immunity?
adaptive
What are lymphocytes?
white blood cells called leukocytes that is found in the blood and lymph tissue
What kind of cell are B and T cells?
lymphocytes
What is an antigen?
a toxin or foreign substance that triggers an immune response which produces antibodies
What is an antigen receptor?
a protein anchored to the B or T cell membrane that bind to a pathogen’s epitopes
What are epitopes?
the part of the antigen to which the antigen receptor/antibody attaches itself
How are B cells activated?
they bind the antigens on the surface of the pathogen’s membrane
What is clonal selection?
the process by which antigens trigger lymphocytes to produce antibodies
What is adaptive immunity?
pathogen-specific responses to infection
how are T cells activated?
their receptors are can only bind to antigens presented by infected and immune cells
What do effector cells do?
secrete antibodies
What do memory immune cells do?
store antibodies an an insurance policy
Define immunological memory
long-term protection against previous infections
What is the primary response of the immune system?
the initial response to a pathogen
What is the secondary response of the immune system?
the response to a subsequent exposure
What is a helper T cell’s function?
to formally initiate humoral and cell-mediated immunity
Define humoral immunity
the production of pathogen-specific antibodies by B cells
What is neutralization in humoral immunity?
antibodies attach to the antigens of a virus preventing it from binding to a host cell
What is opsonization in humoral immunity?
antibodies promote phagocytosis of the virus by macrophages and neutrophils
What is the complement system in humoral immunity?
compliment proteins attach to antibodies which form pores in the pathogen’s membrane
Define cell mediated immunity
when helper T cells and antigen presenting cells activate cytotoxic T cells
What is an MHC molecule?
the molecule that presents an antigen on the surface of a body cell
What are cytotoxic T cells?
cells that secrete toxic proteins directly into the infected host cells
What causes allergies?
exaggerated reaction to antigens (allergens) that activate mast cells to produce histamine
What is an autoimmune disease?
when the immune system fails to recognize self antigens
