Immunity/Inflammation/Hematology Flashcards
Immunity
protection from illness or disease that is maintained by the body’s physiologic defense mechanisms.
What are inflammation and immunity critical to?
maintaining health and preventing disease.
What is considered a non-self cell or protein?
infected body cells, cancer cells, cells from other people, and invading organisms
What is self-tolerance and what is it’s purpose?
The body’s ability to recognize self vs non-self cells/proteins - this prevents immunity from harming healthy body cells.
HLA
Human Leukocyte Antigens - Unique surface proteins that are specific to each person; they are the “universal product code” for that person.
How is one person’s HLA’s recognized by another person?
as foreign or non-self
Antigens
proteins capable of stimulating an immunity response.
Where are HLA’s located?
on the surfaces of most body cells (not only leukocytes)
What is assessed by the immune system cell in order to determine if body cells are self cells or invaders?
As the immune system comes into contact with other cells it compares the surface protein HLAs to determine if the cell belongs to the body.
What happens if the immune system cell does not recognize a cell’s HLAs?
The immune system cell then takes action to neutralize, destroy, or eliminate the foreign invader.
Where do most immune system cells come from and is the source of all blood cells?
the bone marrow
pluripotent
having more than one potential outcome
What are immature, undifferentiated cells called that are produced in the bone marrow?
stem cells
What is the growth factor for a stem cell to become a red blood cell (erythrocyte)?
Erythropoietin - when immature stem cells are exposed to erythropoietin they commit to the erythrocyte pathway.
Red blood cells are also called what?
erythrocytes
white blood cells are also called what?
leukocytes
What defensive actions do leukocytes take to provide protection? (5)
- recognition of self vs non-self
- destruction of foreign invaders, cellular debris, and unhealthy or abnormal self cells
- production of antibodies directed against invaders
- complement activation
- production of cytokines that stimulate increased formation of leukocytes in bone marrow and increase specific leukocyte activity
What are the three processes needed for human protection through immunity?
- inflammation
- antibody-mediated immunity
- cell-mediated immunity
What does immunocompetence require?
Full immunity requires the function and interaction of all three immunity processes
(inflammation, antibody-mediated immunity, cell-mediated immunity)
What leukocytes are involved in inflammation?
Neturophil macrophage monocyte eosinophil basophil
What leukocytes are involved in antibody mediated immunity?
B-lymphocyte
plasma cell
Memory cell
What leukocytes are involved in cell-mediated immunity?
helper/inducer t-cel
cytotoxic/cytolytic T-cell
Natural killer cell
What is the function of a neutrophil?
Provides non-specific protection after microorganisms and foreign proteins, especially bacteria, enter the body; destroys by phagocytosis and enzymatic digestion.
What does ANC stand for and what does it measure?
absolute neutrophil count - used to measure a patient’s risk for infection (the higher the numbers, the greater the resistance to infection)
What does the differential of a normal WBC cell count show?
the number and percent of the different types of circulating leukocytes.
What are most circulating neutrophils?
segmented neutrophils (mature cells)
What is bandemia (left shift)?
When the there’s a shift in circulating neutrophils causing them to be mostly immature forms rather than mature - caused by problems such as sepsis
What does bandemia (left shift) indicate?
that the patient’s bone marrow cannot produce enough mature neutrophils to keep pace with the continuing infections and is releasing immature neutrophils into the blood.
What is the function of a macrophage?
nonspecific recognition of microorganisms and foreign proteins; ingestion and phagocytosis; helps stimulate response of antibody-mediated and cell-mediated immunity.
what is the function of a monocyte?
destruction of bacteria and cellular debris (matures into macrophage)
What is the function of an eosinophil?
releases vasoactive amines during allergic reactions to regulate reaction; usually associated with parasitic infections
What is the function of a basophil?
“signs and symptoms” - releases histamine and heparin in areas of tissue damage
what do tissue mast cells do?
maintain and prolong inflammation and allergic reactions.
phagocytosis
the engulfing and destruction of invading microorganisms and foreign proteins; rids the body of debris after tissue injury.
Which cells are most efficient in phagocytosis?
neutrophils and macrophages
What are the 7 steps of phagocytosis?
- exposure and invasion
- attraction
- adherence
- recognition
- cellular ingestion
- phagosome formation
- degradation
What are the five cardinal symptoms of inflammation?
warmth, redness, swelling, pain, and decreased function
What are the three stages of inflammatory response?
Stage 1: (vascular) - change in blood vessels
constriction and hyperemia and edema
Stage 2: (cellular exudate) - neutrophilic, pus
Stage 3: (tissue repair and replacement)
WBCs trigger new blood vessel and growth (angiogenesis) and scar tissue formation.
What is specific immunity?
an adaptive protection that results in long-term resistance to the effects of invading microorganisms.
Why is specific immunity known as acquired immunity?
because the body has to learn to generate specific immune responses when it is infected by or exposed to specific organisms
antibody-mediated immunity
“humoral immunity” - immunity that uses antigen-antibody interactions to neutralize, eliminate, or destroy foreign proteins.
What cell are antibodies produced by?
sensitized B-lymphocytes (B-cells)