Immune system Flashcards
Erythropoiesis
Making of red blood cells in red bone marrow
How long do RBCs last?
120 days
Process of erythrocyte differentiation
Haematopoietic stem cells > Common myeloid progenitor > Proerythroblast > Reticulocyte > Erythrocyte
Reticulocyte loses its nucleus to become erythrocyte.
What happens to bone marrow as we age?
Red bone marrow is converted to yellow bone marrow, 100% red in children and 50% in adulthood
How is erythropoiesis regulated?
Kidneys produce erythropoietin in response to hypoxia
What does erythropoietin do?
Stimulates red bone marrow to produce red blood cells
What cells do all blood cells come from?
Haematopoietic stem cells
Where do innate immune cells come from?
Common myeloid progenitor cells, except natural killer cells which come from common lymphoid progenitor cells
Where do adaptive immune cells come from?
Common lymphoid progenitor cells
Where do basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes come from?
Myeloblasts
Where do macrophages come from?
Monocytes
Where do platelets come from?
Megakaryocytes
Innate immune response
First response to infection - provides the first and second lines of defence
Involves physical and chemical barriers
Occurs quickly within the first 12 hours of infection
What are the proteins involved in the innate immune response?
CRP
Complement
What is CRP
C reactive protein, produced by the liver. It is an oponising protein
What are the physical barriers in the innate response?
Skin
Mucosal membranes
removal of particles by cilia
What are the chemical barriers in the innate response?
Normal flora in GI tract which occupy the biological niche
Lysozymes in tears
Stomach acid
What do mast cells do?
Degranulate to cause leaky tight junctions in endothelium. This allows other immune cells to enter and plasma to leave causing oedema. Release IL-1, TNF-alpha and CXC18 for chemotaxis
What do dendritic cells do?
Recognise PAMPs and DAMPs on their PRRs. Engulf pathogenic peptides and transport them to lymph nodes. Present peptides on MHC 2 molecules
What do neutrophils do?
Recognise PAMPs, carry out oxidative burst. Form a pseudopodia and then a phagosome around the pathogen. Granules are released to kill the pathogen.
What do macrophages do?
Clear up debris by phagocytosis.
Kupffer cells = liver
Langerhans = skin
Dust cells = alveoli
Adaptive immunity
Specific line of defence, but takes longer to occur. Works by recognising non-self from self antigens. Involved in development of immunological memory. Specific responses tailored to maximally eliminate a specific pathogen.
What are the 2 types of immunity that make up adaptive response?
Cell-mediated
Humoral
Extracellular pathogen response - TH2/ humoral response
Bacteria infect and proliferate the body
LPS of bacteria acts as a PAMP
activates the complement pathway
Activates the complement cascade
C3a and C5a cause degranulation of mast cells
release of histamine
causes inflammation
C3b opsonises
macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils carry out phagocytosis
Macrophages recognise PAMPs and release cytokines
C5a causes chemotaxis
so more immune cells are drawn to the site of infection
dendrites present pathogen peptide on their MHC 2 molecules and migrate to the local lymph node
Naive T cells are recruited to the lymph node and recognise the MHC 2 pathogen protein
T cells bind to the MHC 2 molecule
This causes the T cells to release IL-4
IL-4 causes TH2 cells to be formed
This is the humoral response
Plasma cells are formed and release IgM antibodies, then IgG and IgA antibodies.
Memory B cells are formed
Intracellular immune response - TH1
The virally infected cell produces IFN-alpha
Neighbouring cells produce antiviral proteins to prevent them being infected
IFN-alpha attracts natural killer cells
NKs check the MHC 1 molecules and kill abnormal/ absent ones
After the cells burst and the viral particles are released the dendritic cells pick the viral particles up and take them to the local lymph nodes
Dendritic cells present the antigen on their MHC 2 and CD28 molecules
Dendritic cells produce IL-12 to form CD4 TH1 cells
TH1 cells release IFN gamma and IL-2 which activates CD8 cytotoxic cells
CD8 cells check MHC 1 molecules and kill the abnormal/ absent ones
They make holes in the cell using perforin and inject granzymes which kill the cells .
Clean up following an adaptive immune response
T regulatory cells are activated by TNF-beta and IL-10. They downregulate TH1 or TH2 cells depending on the type of infection. Macrophages and neutrophils clear away the debris.
What is isotype switching?
Change in the B cell’s production of an antibody from one class to another
Cytokines released by naive Th cell
Activate naive T helper cell produces IL-12 or IL-4, IL-12 produces TH1 cells and IL-4 produces TH2 cells.
What cytokines are released by TH1 cells
IFN-gamma which activates macrophages and NK cells and costimulates CD8 activation with Antigen presentation. TNF-beta activates macrophages and NK cells.
What are the stages of wound healing?
Haemostasis
Inflammation
Proliferation
Remodelling
Process of haemostasis
- Damage to vessel wall exposes underlying collagen and chemical factors from the damaged endothelium. Vascular spasm - blood vessels constrict in response to shock to reduce blood loss
- Platelet adhesion - platelets adhere to the damaged collage which involves von Willebrand Factor, it activates the platelets so they undergo a structural change that helps them adhere together.
- Activated platelets release Thromboxane, ADP and Serotonin which causes vasoconstriction and activates more sticky platelets
- Platelet plug is formed from platelets sticking together and the coagulation cascade is triggered
- Coagulation cascade converts fibrinogen into fibrin
- Fibrin reinforces the platelet plug and forms a mesh work that forms a clot
Why does the platelet plug not spread all the way along the vessel?
Prostacyclin and nitric oxide from intact endothelium inhibit platelet adhesion and aggregation
What are clotting factors?
Proteins in the blood that control bleeding. They are inactive unless needed.
How does the clotting cascade work?
Activated form of each factor acts as a catalyst for the next reaction in the cascade. Calcium ions and vitamin K are necessary for activation of some of the reactions
What is the purpose of the coagulation cascade?
To make thrombin which converts fibrinogen into fibrin to form a mesh .
Fibrin
Is factor 1, it is insoluble so doesn’t circulate in the blood as it would form blood clots so fibrinogen is the inactive soluble form
What are the pathways of the coagulation cascade?
Extrinsic = activated by tissue damage through release of tissue factors and causes the intrinsic pathway to kick in.
Intrinsic pathway = gets most of the coagulation done
Which stages of the coagulation cascade are vitamin K dependent?
II,VII, IX, X
where is vitamin K synthesised?
By bacteria in large intestine
Coagulation cascade
Learn the coagulation cascade!!!!
Coagulation cascade drugs
Thrombolytics
Antiplatelets
Anticoagulants
Thrombolytic drugs
Break down fibrin
e.g. tPA, Urokinase
Antiplatelet drugs
Aspirin - inhibits COX
Clopidogrel - inhibits platelet aggregation
Ticagrelor
Anticoagulants
Heparin - makes anti-thrombin very active, low molecular weight heparin acts on thrombin and unfractionated heparin works on Xa
Warfarin - vitamin K agonist (acts on 10,9,7 and 2)
These have to be stopped before surgery
Hemophilia
Type A = . factor VIII deficiency, X-linked recessive disease
presentation depends on severity. Presents early in life or after surgery/ trauma.
what can Excessive bleeding do?
Into joints can cause arthropathy and into muscles can cause hematomas
increase in pressure can cause nerve palsies and compartment syndrome
Treatment of hemophilia
Avoid NSAIDs and intramuscular injections
minor bleeding - pressure and elevation
major bleeding - give recombinant factor VIII
Type B hemophilia
Factor IX deficiency and behaves clinically like type A
Liver disease
Liver makes vitamin K and so liver disease causes a complex bleeding disorder with the decreased synthesis of clotting factors. Decreased absorption of vitamin K and abnormalities in platelet function.
Malabsorption of vitamin K
Less uptake of vitamin K
Treat with IV vitamin K
Inflammation
Non-specific defensive response to tissue damage .
How does inflammation occur
Damaged cells release cytokines and histamines causing vasodilation. Neutrophils phagocytose bacteria and debris. Macrophages carry out debridement/ matrix turnover. Tissue fluid moves into the area providing cells and nutrients.
Scab
Blood clot and dead macrophages
Signs of inflammation and their causes
Heat - capillary widening causing increased blood flow
Redness - increased permeability causing fluid release into tissues
Swelling - increased permeability causing fluid release into tissues
Tenderness - Attraction of leukocytes and extravasation (movement) of them to site of injury
Pain - systemic response, fever and proliferation of leukocytes
Acute inflammation
Usually lasts <3 weeks
Accumulation of neutrophils
Purulent = pus (bunch of dead neutrophils)
Increases ESR (sedimentation rate) and CRP
Chronic inflammation
Defined as lasting longer than 6 weeks
Significant tissue destruction - a typical feature
CRP will be less raised
Accumulation of macrophages and leukocytes