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Human Physiology > Immune System > Flashcards

Immune System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary job of the immune system

A

To protect the body from infection

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2
Q

What is the name for something that stimulates the immune system

A

Immunogens

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3
Q

What are pathogens

A

Anything that causes disease

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4
Q

What is a carcinogen

A

A type of pathogen that specifically causes cancer

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5
Q

What is an allergen

A

Something the immune system responds to as if it’s a threat that causes allergies

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6
Q

What 4 microorganisms act as pathogens in humans and what are 5 ways they enter

A

Bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses enter via inhalation, ingestion, injection, and breaks in the skin, etc.

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7
Q

How can someone protect themselves from pathogens

A

Face masks, gloves, medical gear, antibacterial gels, toilet seat covers, hands-free devices, condoms, etc.

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8
Q

What are 2 other key functions of the immune system

A

To recognize and destroy abnormal (virus-infected or cancerous) ‘self’ cells, and remove dead/damaged cells

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9
Q

How does the immune system differentiate self from non-self

A

Via molecular markers on their surface (proteins, glycoproteins, and lipopolysaccharides)

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10
Q

What are the types of self molecular markers

A

For nucleated cells: major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and human leukocyte antigens (HLA)
For erythrocytes (RBCs): ABO and Rh blood types

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11
Q

What are non-self markers

A

Antigens (eg. pathogen molecular markers/PAMPs)

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12
Q

What are antigens

A

Molecules that trigger the body’s immune response

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13
Q

Are self markers identical

A

No, they are a family of proteins that varies from person to person (usually based on alleles), and only identical twins will have the same set

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14
Q

How are antigens expressed in RBCs

A

They are inherited (one allele from each mom and dad), A and B are codominant and O is recessive (neither A or B)

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15
Q

What are the 4 possible blood types

A

A, B, AB, and O

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16
Q

What are antibodies for blood antigens

A

Anti-A, anti-B, both, or neither

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17
Q

What happens if antigens and antibodies mix

A

Blood cells agglutinate/clump, which is used for blood typing

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18
Q

When planning blood transfusions, what are the most important things to consider

A

In the recipient, what antibodies they have, and what antigens are coming in from donor RBCs

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19
Q

Is it important to consider donor antibodies during a blood transfusion

A

No because they are only giving packed RBCs (minimal antibodies transfused, and what is will be diluted by the recipient’s plasma)

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20
Q

What are the 3 ways the immune system protects against pathogens

A

Barriers, innate immune response, and adaptive immune response

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21
Q

What are the 3 ways the immune system protects against pathogens

A

Barriers, innate immune response, and adaptive immune response

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22
Q

What 2 kinds of barriers does the immune system form against pathogens

A

Physical: Skin and mucous membranes (both with large surface area)
Chemical: Secretions of stomach acid, tears, saliva, sweat, and mucus

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23
Q

What is present in immune system secretions that protects against pathogens

A

Lysozymes (antimicrobial enzymes)

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24
Q

What is immunity

A

The ability of the body to protect itself from pathogens

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25
Q

What are the 2 kinds of acquired (adaptive immunity)

A

Natural and artificial (induced)

26
Q

What are the 2 kinds of natural adaptive immunity

A

Passive (maternal) and active (from an infection)

27
Q

What are the 2 kinds of artificial adaptive immunity

A

Passive (antibody injection) and active (immunization by injecting deactivated antigens)

28
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of the recognition mechanisms of innate immunity

A

1st defense/rapid response (hours), fixed (won’t respond to new stimuli), limited number of specificities, and constant during response

29
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of the recognition mechanisms of adaptive immunity

A

Slow response (days to weeks), variable (can learn to recognize more things), numerous highly selective specificities, and improves during response

30
Q

What are the common effector mechanisms for the destruction of pathogens

A

Inflammation and immunological memory

31
Q

How does the innate immune response work

A

The innate immune cells express pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that let them recognize different antigens like pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)

32
Q

What is the goal of the innate immune response

A

To identify a pathogen and eliminate or contain it

33
Q

How does the adaptive immune response work

A

Adaptive immune cells express antigen receptors specific to one antigen (can only recognize and react to that one), has immunological memory that allows it to remember a previously encountered pathogen

34
Q

How do adaptive immune cells work

A

Some release antibodies that bind and mark cells for destruction and some have antibody receptors

35
Q

What are the 3 characteristics effector functions of innate immunity

A

2nd line of defense, immediate but non-specific (acts within minutes), and recognizes and responds to broad range of pathogens (PAMPs binding to PRRs)

36
Q

What are the 2 responses of innate immunity

A

Clearing the infection via phagocytosis (engulfing the pathogen and releasing destructive enzymes) or containing it via inflammation until adaptive immunity is activated

37
Q

What are the 3 key cells involved in adaptive immunity

A

Phagocytes (macrophages and neutrophils), mast cells, and natural killer (NK) cells

38
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of phagocytes

A

Attracted by chemical signals (chemotaxins), release chemotaxins to recruit more cells, use phagocytosis

39
Q

What are 3 examples of chemotaxins

A

Bacterial toxins, cell wall components, and products of tissue injury (fibrin and collagen fragments)

40
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of phagocytosis

A

Receptor-mediated (can’t recognize all bacteria), lysosomal enzymes destroy ingested bacteria, and can activate adaptive response via antigen presentation (links innate and adaptive branches)

41
Q

What are the 2 characteristics of mast cells

A

Concentrated in skin, lungs, GI tract (places exposed to external environment), release histamine (signals body to respond) when in contact with a pathogen

42
Q

What is inflammation

A

Redness, swelling, heat, pain that is one of the body’s first responses to infection or irritation, mediated by cytokines, chemokines, and histamines

43
Q

What are cytokines and chemokines

A

Chemical signals released by tissue macrophages that attract phagocytes (especially neutrophils)

44
Q

What does histamine do during an immune response

A

Causes redness and increases permeability so that a pathogen can get out (swelling)

45
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of natural killer (NK) cells

A

Eliminates virus-infected or cancerous cells, inhibited by ‘self’ proteins, not phagocytic (attacks cell’s membranes to pop like a balloon via lysis)

46
Q

What is another name for NK cells

A

Cytotoxic lymphocytes

47
Q

What are the 3 groups of leukocytes involved in acquired immunity

A

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs), T lymphocytes (T cells), and B lymphocytes (B cells)

48
Q

How do APCs activate T cells

A

Macrophages engulf and digest antigen in lysosome, then present antigen fragments on top of ‘self’ markers, and bind to T cells

49
Q

What are the 2 kinds of T cells

A

Cytotoxic (cell killing) and helper

50
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of cytotoxic T cells

A

Directly attack virus-infected and tumor cells (pathogen inside cell), use juxtacrine signaling, and implicated in transplant rejection

51
Q

How do helper T cells work

A

Secrete cytokines to help activate other leukocytes (B cells)

52
Q

How do B cells work

A

The become effector cells that are only good for extracellular pathogens (plasma effector cells and memory cells)

53
Q

What are plasma effector cells

A

The secrete antibodies (immunoglobulins) and attach to antigens to target for destruction by nonspecific defenses (macrophages)

54
Q

Which type of B cell lasts for a long time in the body and which kind dies within days

A

Plasma/effector cells die within days while memory cells stick around and continue to reproduce (immunological memory)

55
Q

Does the first or second exposure illicit a faster and stronger immune response

A

The second exposure

56
Q

What are the 3 kinds of pathologies of the immune system

A

Autoimmune diseases (women more prone), allergies, and immunodeficiency

57
Q

What is an autoimmune disease

A

When the immune system has an incorrect response and attacks cells of the body

58
Q

What are allergies

A

Overactive immune response to something that’s not really a pathogen (dust, etc.) and can cause anaphylaxis

59
Q

What is immunodeficiency

A

Lack of immune response when needed (e.g. HIV which causes AIDS and suppresses the immune system

60
Q

What is neuroimmunomodulation

A

Interaction between the neurological, endocrine, and immune systems due to shared common signal molecules and receptors

61
Q

What outside factors are involved in neuroimmunomodulation

A

Stress and illness (decrease immune activity and mind-body therapeutics (enhance immune response)

Human Physiology (12 decks)

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