immune system Flashcards
what is the primary immune structure and its role
white blood cells are developed, stored, and carried out for immune functions
-has sites that use stem cells to give rise to mature B cells and and both immature/mature pre T cells
-sites are found in bone marrow and the thymus (these change with age/season)
what is the secondary immune structure and its role
white blood cells are developed, stored, and carried out for immune functions
-has sites that carry out most immune responses
-sites are found in nodes, spleen, tonsils, appendix, and peyer’s patches
what is a pathogen
a disease causing microorganism that focuses on the innate immune system
ex: parasites, fungi, virus
what is a antigen
something that causes an adaptive immune response and reacts to the antibodies and cells it provoked
ex: cancer cell, bacteria, virus
what is a allergen
an immune response that is perceived as a threat that causes tissue damage but is well tolerated by others
what is innate immunity and its structure and function
innate has immediate responses, is non specific, and has no memory
-has surface and internal barriers that stop/destroy microorganisms and respond to inflammation and fevers
what is adaptive immunity and its structure and function
-its job is to provide protection against specific pathogens and microbes
-it is antigen specific, has lag time, has memory, and systemic responses (can find sickness anywhere in the body)
-it uses cell mediated and humoral immunity
what structures are part of the first line defense in innate immunity and what are their functions
skin and mucous membranes that use protective chemicals to stop or destroy microorganisms
-skin uses acidity, sebum, defensive proteins, dermecidin
-membranes use acidity, hairs, cilia, mucous, defensive proteins, enzymes
what structures are part of the second line defense in innate immunity and what are their functions
granulocytes, macrophages, antimicrobial proteins, and natural killer cells help fight inflammation and fever
what is the roll of toll like receptors in the activation of innate immune cells
innate cells use TLR’s to identify and bind to structures/patterns on pathogens to trigger immune responses during second line defense
what cells can perform phagocytosis and how does this help with antigen presentation
macrophages, neutrophils, and dendrites can perform phagocytosis
-This can help by inserting digested pieces of pathogens into specific membrane proteins to present the antigen
what is the role of antigen presenting cells in activating immune defenses
antigen presenting cells have MHC proteins that will allow T cells to respond once they’re processed
what is the role of interferon alpha in innate immune function
it produces an anti viral protein to block viral reproduction of infected, degrade viral rna, and activate natural killer cells
(interferons are secreted by infected cells to warn healthy neighbor cells)
what is the role of interferon beta in innate immune function
it produces an anti viral protein to block viral reproduction of infected cells, degrade viral rna, and activate natural killer cells
(interferons are secreted by infected cells to warn healthy neighbor cells)
what is the role of interferon gamma in innate immune function
T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages secrete gamma to produce immune mobilizing effects
gamma activates the cells it is secreted from
what is the role of complement in the formation of membrane attack complexes, inflammation, and opsonization
complement proteins have 3 pathways that are used to destroy bacteria and enhance inflammation
-classical is activated by antibodies binding to bacteria
-lectin is activated when lectins bind to bacterial carbohydrates
-alternative is activated when complements directly bind to bacteria
all of these pathways merge and bind to c3, c3 will then split into c3b and c3a, c3 will also activate c5b and c5a
-c3a and c5a enhance inflammation through the release of histamine, higher blood permeability, and the attraction of phagocytes
-c3b does opsonization, coating pathogens and enhancing phagocytosis
c5b will form membrane attack complexes by inserting themselves into the target cell membrane that will then create pores allowing water to come in and cell contents to leave
how does inflammation occur and what is the benefits in regards to immune response
inflammation is a response to tissue damage usually noticed by redness, heat, swelling, or pain
-immune cells release chemicals
-phagocytes will then mobilize to the site of damage
-macrophages will clean up and consume debris
benefits include: prevention of the spread of damaging agents, gets rid of debris and pathogens, alerts adaptive immune system, and starts the repair process
leukocytosis, margination, diapedesis, chemotaxis