Immune System Flashcards
Immune system
Group of cells, tissues, organs, mechanisms that defend an organism against pathogens and other foreign substances
Immune response
Complex series of specific and non specific processes involving a range of cells and chemicals
If the body successfully fights infection, will respond more quickly, effectively if encountered again
Non specific defence mechanisms
Physical barriers
Chemical barriers
Phagocytosis
Physical barriers
Skin (keratinised), impermeable
Mucociliary escalator in airways
Chemical barriers
Sebum, antibacterial fatty acids, pH 5.4
Tears, lysosomes, destroys bacterial cell wall
HCl, gastric juice, lactic acid, vagina
Phagocytosis
Inflammatory response, phagocytes, chemicals
Phagocytosis, phagocytes (intracellular chemicals)
Blood clotting, haemostasis
Specific defence mechanisms
Cell mediated response Humoral response (body fluids)
Specific immune response
AP immunity, TB cells (lymphocytes, WBC)
Phagocytosis
Phagocyte attracted to pathogen due to chemicals released by it
Moves towards pathogen up con grad
Phagocyte has several receptors on its cell surface membrane that attach to chemicals on the pathogen surface
Lysosomes within phagocyte migrate toward phagosome, formed by engulfing bacterium
Lysosomes releases lysozyme into phagosome where bacterium is hydrolyse
Hydrolysis products of the bacterium absorbed by phagocyte
Humoral immunity in blood
Pathogen/ toxin enters bloodstream, encounters many B lymphocytes
Some B cells have appropriate molecule on surface, attach to antigens on the surface of pathogen/toxin
Attachment=> rapid div of B cell, form plasma cells, clones of original
B cells produce appropriate antibody
Some become memory cells, remain in body for long time
Antibody effects
Neutralisation
Precipitation
Agglutination
Complement reaction
Neutralisation
Antibody combines with active part of toxin, prevents it from attaching to the surface of body cell
Precipitation
2 binding sites on 1 antibody may link with 2 molecules of antigen to produce a lattice like immune complex
Soluble antigen molecules may be precipitated and more easily ingested by phagocytes
Agglutination
Similar to precipitation, 2 binding sites may bind to 2 different pathogens
Leads to phagocytosis
Complement reactions
Series of reactions which lead to lysis of pathogen or phagocytosis
Cellular immunity
T cells have highly specific receptor molecules on cell surface which attaches to antigens
Only happen if antigen on surface membrane of one of body’s own cells, next to chemical marker (Major histocompatibility complex proteins)
Invaded cell will present antigens on surface
Only T cell triggered, divides rapidly, form clone T cells
Types of T cell
Cytotoxic
Helper
Memory
Cytotoxic T cells
Destroy target cell, usually the body’s own cell infected by viruses
Involved in destruction of cancer cells