IMMUNO Flashcards
primary and secondary immune organs
Primary- phagocytes, complement system and barriers like skin
Secondary- T cells, B cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells
the ways in which cell types are identified
by: histology (size, shape, stain, nucleus characteristics), enzymes and antibodies that recognize immune cells
antibody and its Fc region
flexible specific adaptor due to a high affinity antigen binding site and Fc region in order to neutralize toxins (prevent binding to receptors) and aid in phagocytosis
*Fc regions: located on the opposite end of the antigen binding site and is a place where effector cells or proteins can bind to
antibody and its Fc region
flexible specific adaptor due to a high affinity antigen binding site and Fc region in order to neutralize toxins and aid in phagocytosis
*Fc regions: located on the opposite end of the antigen binding site and is a place where effector cells or proteins can bind to
opsonins
antibodies that are capable of forming a high affinity bridge to enhance phagocytosis of bacteria found in the extracellular space (opsonization)
complement
serum protein that recognizes bound antibody molecules and can result in cell lysis
CD
“Cluster of Differentiation”: notation system of antibodies that recognize immune cells
examples:
CD3–> mature T-cells
CD4–> T-helper/regulatory
CD8–> T-cytotoxic
neutrophil
the end product of myeloid differentiation that will not divide and contains primary/azurophilic and secondary/specific granules (bactericidal and hydrolytic enzymes of the cell)
make up 60-70% of the circulating white cells (12hrs) and complete its life cycle at the site of inflammation when released from the bone marrow to fight off infection
eosinophil
1-3% of the circulating leukocytes (30min half life and 12 day survival in tissues) with the ability to destroy parasitic worms by releasing granule contents due to Eosinophilic Basic Protein (EBP)
macrophages-monocytes
derived in the bone marrow and function as effector cells at sites of inflammation phagocytosing bacteria (creating phagosomes and phagolysosomes once the bacteria is degraded) but can exist in a resting state when inflammation is not present
- intracellular killing: bacteria, yeast, parasites
- extracellular killing (in vitro): virally infected cells, larger parasites, tumor cells
**binding of bacterial components to signaling receptors induces the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines
pathway of monocyte precursor to immune response initiation
monocyte (precursor)–> macrophage–> T-cell activation–> initiation of immune responses
mast cell
expels parasites by releasing granules that contain active agents such as histamine
lymphocytes
B-cells: expresses immunoglobulin producing antibodies when fully differentiated as a plasma cell (or can become memory cells) and is only able to express a single variable region (idiotype) with the highest affinity to the antigen that undergoes clonal expansion
T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells): helps B-cells through regulating the immune response and acting as an antigen specific effector cell restricted to killing cells with self and foreign antigen limiting target cell types to infected cells and tumor cells (prevents B-cells from attacking our own cells)
- *some can kill non-self cells associated with transplants
- *histology: no granules present in cytoplasm
- *pathogen-reactive lymphocytes proliferate
lymphocytes
B-cells: expresses immunoglobulin producing antibodies when fully differentiated as a plasma cell
T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells): helps B-cells through regulating the immune response and acting as an antigen specific effector cell restricted to killing cells with self and foreign antigen limiting target cell types to infected cells and tumor cells
- *some can kill non-self cells associated with transplants
- *histology: no granules present in cytoplasm
natural killer cells
granular lymphocytes that kill tumor and virally infected cells WITHOUT specificity
what is the pathway that leads to the production of platelets?
hematopoietic stem cell–> myeloid precursor–> megakaryocyte–> platelets
what do each end of immunoglobulin molecules do?
constant region binds to transmembrane surface and variable region has antigen-binding sites at its tips
proteins that make up immunoglobulin molecules
heavy chains and light chains make up constant and variable regions which are attached by disulfide bonds at hinge region and contains carbohydrates
- variable region is located at Y tips and contains antigen-binding sites
- light chains are the outside of Y branches
proteins that make up immunoglobulin molecules
heavy chains and light chains make up constant and variable regions which are attached by disulfide bonds at hinge region and contains carbohydrates
- variable region is located at Y tips and contains antigen-binding sites
- light chains are the outside of Y branches
IgG
- most common
- longest half life
- transportation across placenta
IgA
- one form is secreted (resists acid hydrolysis)
- highly glycosylated
- monomers/dimers/trimmers
- capable of transportation across epithelium
- opsonizing and agglutinating (sticks)
IgM
- primitive
- potent complement fixation
- no opsonization-immune cells don’t have IgM receptors
- greatest molecular mass
- 4 heavy chain domains without a hinge region
- J chain
IgE
- responds to parasites
- allergic reactions
- few in circulation–>binds to target/mast cells
- mediates release of granule contents from mast cells
- mediates changes in vascular permeability
**proteolytic degradation of IgG
IgG –(protease cleavage)–> 1 Fc + 2 Fab fragments
Fc= crystallizable and made of constant region repeats Fab= antigen binding with the variable region
- –not really important but in the notes—-
- papain digests hinge region
- pepsin degrades heavy chain beginning at carboxy terminal and ending at the region of interchain disulfide bonds
proteolytic degradation of IgG
IgG –(protease)–> 1 Fc + 2 Fab fragments
Fc= crystallizable and made of constant region repeats Fab= antigen binding with the variable region
framework residues and hypervariable regions of the variable region of immunoglobulin molecules
framework residues: same between proteins and contribute to the folding of the V region producing the antigen binding site
hypervariable region: 3 in each heavy and light chain contributing to the specific antigen binding site and forming a continuous surface to complement a specific antigen; regions are distant in primary sequence (on two chains) but are close together in the antigen binding site
monoclonal antibody
bound reversibly to an antigen and the affinity between the two is the sum of all of their interactions expressed by the law of mass action
K= [Ab Ag] / [Ab][Ag]
*have affinity but since they bind to the same epitope, there is no cooperativity and no increase in avidity
why are immunoassays used and what are 4 examples?
a process of measuring specific proteins through their properties as antigens or antibodies
examples: ELISA, immunofluorescence, FACS and Western Immunoblot
how do immunoassays work and when are they used?
?
cross-reactivity
antiserum cross reacts with other antigens besides the specific antigen which may be due to impurities (already present antibody or antigenic contaminating proteins) or common/similar structures (homology) on antigens such as epitopes
could lead to: masking an expected result, false results, lowering of the effective sensitivity of the assay or could have no effect on immunoassay test results
techniques used to eliminate cross reactivities
- absorbtion: using cross reacting material to remove the activity that causes the cross reaction
- affinity chromatography: a method used to purify antigens using an insoluble support (ex: agarose) and mild denaturant (ex: salt) to wash away unbound molecules and elute specifically bound molecules
techniques used to eliminate cross reactivities
- absorbtion: using cross reacting material to remove the activity that causes the cross reaction
- affinity chromatography: a method used to purify antigens using an insoluble support and mild denaturant to wash away unbound molecules and elute specifically bound molecules
*preparation of monoclonal antibodies
- immunize an animal
- isolate spleen cells (B-cells which can only live a few days without myeloma cells)
- fuse cells to plasmacytoma tumor cells (unlimited growth)
- select for hybrids of tumor cells and B-cells
- clone hybridomas so each cell grows independently
- select the individual clone with specificity you need
- production of a single clone of one B-cell
- no heterogeneity (population of antibody molecules identical with the same specificity)
what happens when an immunization if to a specific protein?
the clones have individual specificities to all parts of the molecule (epitopes) and to other molecules that have contaminated the immunization preparation
serum sickness
immune reaction (antibodies) to injected proteins causing a hypersensitivity reaction
*this is why you cannot use mouse monoclonals to treat humans unless B or T cells are eliminated
chimeric monoclonal antibodies
constant regions: human
variable regions: from mouse monoclonal
“-ximab” drugs
human monoclonal antibodies
totally made through molecular biology techniques
“-umab” drugs
ELISA
*Enzyme-Linked InnumoSorbant Assay:
add an antibody to tube filled with antigen and incubate it, wash away unbound antibody, add second antibody with a covalently-bound enzyme and incubate it, wash away unbound antibody, detect amount of second antibody-enzyme complex by adding a chemical reagent that turns a certain color in its presence
Immunofluorescence
used to identify a specific cell type, cellular structure or a pathogen through use of specific antisera, unbound antisera is washed away, a second antibody specific for the first antibody but with a fluorescent molecule is added and binds, the fluorescent molecule emits light when exposed to UV light which can be seen under a special microscope
FACS
*Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter- Flow Cytometry:
machine using lasers with multiple detectors that scan many cells for size and immunofluorescence detecting several antigens an creating a histogram (x-axis: intensity of fluorescence, y-axis: number of cells) and dot plot (top right: both positive, bottom left: both negative)
- cell sorters: analyzes and sorts based on amount of fluorescence
- flow cytometers: only analyze cells
*Western Immunoblot
electrophoretical separation of mixtures of proteins which are bound to nitrocellulose paper, antibody binds to protein of interest, unbound antibodies are washed away, specific antibodies are detected like the ELISA assay providing information such as: amount of antigen (density of bands), molecular weight (how far bands travel), different forms of antigen
*quantitative and qualitative information
Western Immunoblot
electrophoretically separated mixtures of proteins which are bound to nitrocellulose paper, antibody binds to protein of interest, unbound antibodies are washed away, specific antibodies are detected like the ELISA assay providing information such as: amount of antigen, molecular weight, different forms of antigen