Immunity Flashcards
Saprophytic
x
Commensal
Organsims living in another without causing injury/ damage to host
Benefit the host
Pathogen
Disease causing organism/ agent
Opportunist
x
Infection that is acquired form ones own flora
Endogenous
Infection that is acquired form another source
Exogenous
Other name for innate immunity
Natural
Other name for adaptive immunity
Acquired
Complement System
- A complement factor from plasma binds to a bacterium
- This attracts other complement factors that form a hole in the cell membrane called the Membrane Attack Complex (MAC)
- In the process smaller complement components are released called anaphylatoxins. These attract phagocytic cells
- The phagocyte engulfs and then destroys the bacterium
What are the 2 different responses of adaptive immunity?
Humoral & cell-mediated
Which cells are involved with the humoral response?
B lymphocytes
Plasma cells
Memory cells
Antibodies
Which cells are involved with the cell-mediated response?
T lymphocytes
T helper cells
Cytotoxic T cells
Describe the clonal selection theory
- A B lymphocyte binds to a bacterium via its surface antibody which specifically recognises a site (epitope) on the bacterial surface
- The bacterium is ingested
- A fragment of the bacterium is displayed on the B cell surface
- This attracts a T helper cell which also recognises this fragment
- As a result cytokines are released from the T cell
- This causes proliferation of the B cells and T cells forming colonies of identical cells
- The colony of B cells mature into plasma cells that are able to secrete antibody. These antibodies are identical in structure to the original surface antibody on the naive B cell i.e they have the same specificity for antigen
What’s another word for antibody?
Immunoglobulin
Describe sequences of a viral infection
- A virus hides inside a cell
- A fragment of the virus is displayed on the cell surface
- This attracts cytotoxic T cells and cytokines are released from the T cells
- The cytokines cause the death of the infected cell and proliferation of a colony of identical T cells
Name for secreted proteins that attract cells bearing chemokine receptors out of the bloodstream into affected tissue
Chemokines
Elements of innate immunity
Anatomical barriers (skin/ mucous membrane)
Physiological barrier (temp/ pH/ chemicals)
Phagocytic
Inflammatory
Complement
Which antibody is present in saliva?
IgA
Can opportunists arise from saprophytic/ commensal/ pathogenic organisms?
Yes
When may aprophytic/ commensal/ pathogenic organisms become opportunists?
If immunocompromised Wound Catheter Antacids Antibiotic
What are anaerobes and when could they cause disease?
They lack oxidative enzymes so rely on fermentative processes (producing smelly volatile gases)
Killed by oxygen so can survive and cause disease in low oxygen environments e.g. large bowel/ dental crevices
Illnesses associated with Streptococci?
Otitis media
Pneumonia
Meningitis
Septicaemia
Name a virulance factor of Strep pneumoniae and Staph aureus
Capsule
What does the purple staining of gram + bacteria show the presence of?
Peptidoglycan layer
What kind of stain does gram - bacteria show?
Red counterstain