Immune System - Lecture 1 Part A Flashcards
What are the functions of the Immune System?
- Prevent or eradicate infections
- Recognize self from nonself
- Tissue repair
What is the balance required by the immune system in regards to the variety of pathogens?
The immune system must create different strategies to eliminate the variety of pathogens but also not create a strong reaction that will damage our cells
What is an immune response?
The process of pathogen recognition leading to an intra or extracellular cascade of events that will eventually cause labelling and destruction of the pathogen
What are the two types of Immune Responses?
Passive and Active
When does a Passive Immune response happen?
When protection is transferred between individuals so an individual is not producing its own immune response or antibodies
What is an example of a Passive immune response?
When newborns receive antibodies from their mothers breast milk
What is the duration of Passive Immunity?
It has a short duration and once its eliminated from the body the individual has no protection anymore against the antigen
When does an active immune response occur?
When an individual builds its own immune response
What are examples of things that cause an active immune response?
Vaccination or through a naturally acquired infection
What is the relative time difference between Passive and Active immunity?
Active immunity takes more time than passive immunity
How is Active immunity renewable?
Because we produce our own immune response, our cells generate immunologic memory that protects from a second exposure to the antigen
What are the two branches of the immune response besides passive and active?
Innate and Adaptive immune response
Which immune response are we born with?
The innate immune response
Why is the Innate immune response considered non-specific?
Because it recognizes patterns shared among microbes so it doesn’t identify exactly what is it fighting against but initiates the start to contain the infection
Which immune response in non-specific?
The innate immune response
Why is the adaptive immune response considered low response?
Because it takes some days to happen
What cells does the Adaptive immune response depend on?
B and T lymphocytes
What do the B and T lymphocytes do in the adaptive immune response?
Recognize specific antigens and then build an adaptive immune response
Which immune response generates memory?
The adaptive immune response
What can the Adaptive immune response be divided into?
Mediated response and Humoral immune response
What is another name for the Humoral response?
Antibody mediated immune response
How do the the Innate and Adaptive immune responses work together?
The cells in each response communicate with each other using cytokines or through blood and lymph
What two fluids are involved in the immune response?
Blood and lymph
What is an Antigen?
Any substance that requires an immune response
What is an Epitope?
The part of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system
What is a Pathogen?
The organism that causes a disease
What is Pathogenesis?
The process by which a pathogen induces illness or disease
What do WBCs circulate between?
The blood and the lymph
What do WBCs do as they circulate between the blood and the lymph?
Search for pathogens throughout the body
Where do WBCs go after passing into the interstitial fluid from the blood vessels?
They enter tissues or the lymphatic vessels where they become part of the lymphatic system
What are the two sites where lymphatic drainage occurs?
The right subclavian vein and the left subclavian vein
What areas does the right subclavian vein take lymphatic drainage from?
The right arm and right side of the head
What are the 3 functions of the Lymphatic system?
- Drain excess interstitial fluid
- Transports dietary lipids and lipid soluble vitamins
- Carries out the immune response
What can the organs of the immune response be classified into?
Primary or Secondary lymphoid organs
What are Primary Lymphoid organs?
The sites where WBCs develop and mature
Where are all blood cells produced?
The bone marrow
Where do B lymphocytes have their development and maturation?
The bone marrow
Where do T lymphocytes have their maturation process?
In the Thymus
What are the Primary Lymphoid Organs?
Bone Marrow and Thymus
What are the Secondary Lymphoid organs?
The spleen, lymph nodes and other not so organized tissues such as the skin and respiratory and GI tract
What cells are Lymph nodes filled with?
Lymphocytes, Macrophages and dendritic cells
What is the site that Antigens are first encountered?
Lymph nodes
When does interstitial fluid encounter lymph nodes?
In their journey from the blood going towards the left and right subclavian artery
What does interstitial fluid enter lymphatic vessels through?
Lymphatic vessels
What is the network in lymph nodes designed to do?
Track an antigen and facilitate cell communication
What happens if Lymphocytes find their specific antigen?
They take residence in lymph nodes and proliferate and become effector cells and leave and fight the infection where they are needed
What do Lymphocytes do if they do not find an antigen in the lymph nodes?
They will leave the lymph nodes and continue their search in the blood
What causes lymph nodes or tonsils to become swollen?
An active immune response is happening there and cells are proliferating
What is the Spleen irrigated by?
Not by the lymphoid vessels, only by the blood
What is the Spleen the site for?
Tracking of bloodborne pathogens
Which artery does blood enter the spleen from?
WBCs, RBCs and antigens enter the spleen via the splenic artery
What can the Spleen be divided into?
The Red Pulp and White Pulp
What occurs in the Red Pulp of the spleen?
RBCs are destroyed
What occurs in the White Pulp of the spleen?
White blood cells, lymphocytes and other immune cells are found here and will proliferate there if they find an antigen
Where are the Barrier Organs found?
The GI tract, Respiratory tract, and the urogenital tract
What is found in Barrier Organs?
Immune cells ready in place to protect
What are Tissues of the Barrier Organs also referred to as?
Mucosa associated lymphoid tissues or MALT
Where are MALTs usually found?
In places where there are connections to the external environment
