Immuno - Lymphocytes Flashcards
What is the adaptive immune system made of?
Lymphocytes coming form the common lymphoid progenitor
Where is the adaptive immune system found?
Only in vertebrates
What is the role of the adaptive immune system?
Clear infection and re-infection of a pathogen, improve the efficacy of the innate immune system and reduce the severity of re-infection of a pathogen
What is immunological memory?
Long lived memory of lymphocytes so that once they have been exposed to a pathogen, they will develop memory so that upon reinfection, they will recognise the antigen and rapid produce an immune response, which is therefore quicker and much less severe.
What responses make up the adaptive immune response?
Cell mediated response
Humoral response
What is responsible for the cell mediated response?
T cells - CD4 and CD8
What is responsible for the humoral response?
B cells which produce antibodies
How is the specificity of T and B cells generated?
Through the T cell receptor or B cell receptor
What does the TCR bind to/recognise?
The TCR binds to the linear, primary structure epitope of an antigen which is bound to via the MHC molecule
What does the BCR bind to/recognise?
The BCR binds to the structural 3D tertiary structure of the antigens therefore could potentially recognise 2 different parts of the antigen.
How many receptors does each lymphocyte have?
T cells only have one TCR specific to one antigen however B cells can have up to a 1000 BCRs which are all identical with respect to their specific antigen.
What occurs upon antigen binding to a receptor?
This causes activation of the lymphocyte and thus subsequent clonal expansion of the cells which go on to produce cytokines and recruit other immune cells to attack the pathogen.
How does recombination generate adaptive diversity?
The BCR is made up of many different components which are encoded for by multi-gene families. This allows for recombination of the genes to give different BCR combinations. The segments are rearranged via immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, thus generating a massive repertoire and thus adaptive diversity.
What is the role of helper T cells?
They are activated via a specific antigen presenting cell, they then undergo clonal expansion and then divide to form a variety of T helper cells which activate other cells such as B cells and help activate cytotoxic T cells.
What is the role of cytotoxic T cells?
Once these are activated in the presence of activating cytokines and the specific antigen, the cells go on to become powerful killers that kill not only pathogens and their antigens, but also the cells that have been infected.
What is the TCR made out of?
Made up of an alpha chain and a beta chain, each with a variable and a constant region which bind to their specific antigen in the context of the MHC
What is the MHC?
Major histocompatibility complex
What is the role of the MHC?
Presents antigens to T cells therefore has a central role in defending self cells from the not self.
What are the 2 classes of MHC?
MHC 1 and MHC 2
What is the difference between MHC1 and MHC2?
MHC 1 is expressed by all nucleated cells and has a single alpha chain with a common beta microglobulin. MHC 2 on the other hand has one alpha chain and one beta chain
How is there lots of variability between people’s MHC make up?
Encoded for by HLA genes and is polygenic, determined overall by 6 loci therefore in theory one person can have up to 6 copies of MHC if they were to be completely heterozygous.