Immune System Flashcards
What is the function of the immune system?
Protects our bodies from foreign pathogens (infectious agents)
What organs make up the immune system?
Spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes, thymus
What is the first line defense against infection?
Physical barriers
-skin
The 2 types of immune responses
Innate and adaptive
Characteristics of the innate immune response
Quick to respond
Not specific to individual pathogens
Does not form memory cells
Characteristics of the adaptive immune response
Slow to respond
Specifically targets a pathogen and forms memory cells
Skin characteristics
3-5 pH
-discourages replication of moth pathogens
Inhabited by flora
What is flora?
Nonpathogenic microbes that compete for resources and thus prevent pathogen occupancy
What are other barriers of infection other than integumentary system?
Respiratory and digestive systems
What are some examples of chemical barriers to infection?
Saliva, tears, mucus
What does saliva, tears and mucous contain prevents infection?
Lysozymes
-degrade bacterial cell walls and causes them to lyse/ burst
What are antimicrobial peptides?
Molecules Secreted by cells into the bloodstream that target and kill many bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens to prevent infection
What is an interferon?
A small chemical messenger that is secreted when a cell becomes infected to signal nearby cells the presence of a foreign pathogen and activate innate defense in those cells
What are granulocytes?
Cells of the innate immune system that contain reactive oxygen compounds and cytokines in their cytoplasm
-basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils
What is function of basophils?
Responsible for releasing histamine and mediating allergic reactions
-part of innate immune system
What is the function of eosinophils?
responsible for killing parasites
-part of innate immune system
What is the function of neutrophils?
Responsible for phagocytosing bacteria and medicating inflammatory responses.
-part of innate immune system
-most common granulocytes
What occurs during inflammation?
Process that leads to swelling, produces fever, and recruit immune cells
What is a dendritic cell?
A phagocytic cell that kills extracellular pathogens
-recognizes PAMPs
Presents antigens (effective)
What are pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)
Common proteins and carbohydrates found on the surface of pathogens that are not specific to one antigen
What are the functions of macrophages?
Digest dying cells
Present antigen (not as effective as dendritic cells
-part of innate immune system
What are natural killer (NK) cells?
Attack and kill cells that constrain intracellular pathogens or display abnormal surface antigens
-Part of innate immune system
What kind of cells make up the adaptive immune system?
T and B cells
What is a T cell?
Born in the bone marrow and matured in the thymus
-part of adaptive immune system
