Immune System, HIV, and Cancer Flashcards
What is an antigen?
Outsider protein
What are neutrophils?
Respond to bacterial infections by engulfing the bacteria through phagocytosis.
Most prevalent type of WBCs
What is apoptosis?
A series of chemical reactions that encourage the cell to die.
What are lymphocytes?
Produce antibodies against foreign particles.
Primarily function as part of adaptive immunity by producing antibodies against the invader cells.
What are monocytes?
Phagocytic cells
Their main function is to engulf and digest the damaged cells and pathogens.
Function as part of innate immunity.
What is adenoma?
Tumor originating in a gland
What is poorly differentiated?
Quite far from normal parent tissue, and the tissue of origin may even be difficult to identify.
What is resistance?
A phenomenon of a pathogen to adapt to the medication used for the treatment
What is immune system?
A complex system composed of various organs, cells, enzymes, and hormones that provide protection against infection-causing microorganisms.
Your body’s defensive network against any disease-causing microorganisms.
What is the immune system main function?
Prevent or decrease the risk of various infections.
What is innate immunity?
General and non-specific immunity that your body possess to fight various diseases.
What is adaptive immunity?
Components function by learning the pathogen and then developing immunity against it.
Referred to as acquired immunity.
What are 3 types of granulocytes?
Neutrophils
Basophils
Eosinophils
What is predominately involved in allergic reactions?
Eosinophils
What do basophils do?
Help combat allergic reactions by releasing 2 chemicals:
Histamine
Heparin
What are the 2 types of agranulocytes?
Lymphocytes
Monocytes
What do antibodies do?
Bind with pathogens to deactivate them or tag them to be destroyed by specific WBCs
Immunoglobulins
What are cytokines?
Proteins produced by various cells, including the immune cells
What is the thymus? What is it’s main function?
Small endocrine gland located in the upper chest area.
Main function is to develop a newborn’s immune response, in adults it continues to be important in the maturation of lymphocytes, specifically T lymphocytes.
What is the lymphatic system?
Network of vessels and tissues that carry lymph through the body.
Composed of the thymus gland and lymph nodes.
What is the spleen?
Soft, dark red organ located on the left side of the abdomen, just below the diaphragm.
Stores immune cells and activates these cells to respond to disease-causing pathogens.
What are tonsils? What do they do?
Masses of lymph tissue located in the rear of the throat.
“Guards” of the mouth often exposes them to microoganisms invading the body through food and air.
Store lymphocytes and release them to fight infections as soon as microorganisms enter the mouth.
What is persistent generalized lymphadenopathy?
Enlarged lymph nodes, skin rashes chronic fatigue, and weight loss occur.
Mid-stage period of HIV
What is HIV replication?
Binding Fusion Reverse Transcription Integration Replication Assembly Budding
What is binding?
HIV binds to the CD4 cell surface
What is fusion?
HIV and CD4 cell membrane fuse
What is reverse transcription?
HIV, using its enzyme reverse transcriptase, converts its RNA into DNA. DNA then enters the CD4 cell nucleus
What is integration?
Another HIV enzyme, integrase, facilitates the insertion of HIV DNA into the CD4 cell DNA
What is replication?
Now as part of the CD4 DNA, HIV begins to replicate its own RNA and other HIV proteins
What is assembly?
New HIV RNA, along with other viral proteins, produces and immature HIV
What is budding?
Immature HIV comes out of the CD4 cell and uses its own enzyme called protease to become a mature and infectious HIV
What is highly antiretroviral therapy?
Term that refers to the combination of antivirals used to effectively treat HIV infection
What are HAART regimens?
Combination regimens of different classes of medication that are proven to be safe and effective
What are opportunistic infections?
Infections caused by microorganisms that are otherwise rarely infectious to individuals with good immune systems
What is PJP?
Type of lung infection, or pneumonia, caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii.
It’s the most common and life-threatening infection in HIV-infected patients.
What is MAC?
A group of bacteria that can cause serious and deadly infections of the lungs, bones, and blood in HIV patients.