Immune System Flashcards
What is the purpose of the immune system?
to stop invading materials from interfering with the body’s homeostasis
What are the four different types of pathogen?
Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protists
What are the three shapes of bacteria?
rods (bacilli), spheres (cocci), and spirals (spirochetes)
What are the three lines of defense of the immune system?
Prevention (the skin and outer defenses), general attack (white blood cells) and specific attack (antibodies and other chemicals)
What are the two types of white blood cell?
Phagocytes and lymphocytes
What is the inflammatory response?
The symptoms caused by your body fighting back against a pathogen! Despite how it feels, it’s a good sign!
What is immunity?
When your body remembers a specific pathogen and is able to generate a faster, more efficient response.
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines contain a weakened or dead form of a pathogen so the immune system can beat it more easily and develop an antibody response without actually getting sick.
