Immunology 1

Question 1

What is ‘tolerance’?

Answer 1

ability of the immune system to NOT react to an antigen

Question 2

What are the physical barriers in our body to pathogens?

Answer 2

the skin

mucous membranes in respiratory, reproductive and digestive tracts

Question 3

What systems is the immune system divided into?

Answer 3

innate immune system

adaptive immune system

Question 4

Give 3 qualities of the innate immune system.

Answer 4

1. non-specific
2. first to come into play
3. has no memory - will produce same response each time

Question 5

Give 3 qualities of the adaptive immune system.

Answer 5

1. highly specific
2. immunological memory
3. antibody production

Question 6

Why is it good that there be debris from phagocytosis of materials by macrophages?

Answer 6

it can act as signal molecules to other immune cells to gather help

Question 7

Where do macrophages originate from?

Answer 7

made in bone marrow

Question 8

What are macrophages known as when they are in the blood?

Answer 8

monocytes

Question 9

What do monocytes become known as when they enter connective tissue?

Answer 9

macrophages (mature monocytes)

Question 10

What is the name of the most abundant white blood cell?

Answer 10

neutrophils

Question 11

How long do neutrophils live in tissues?

Answer 11

about 5 days and then die

Question 12

What do eosinophils do?

Answer 12

combat parasitic infections and involved in allergy and asthma

Question 13

What is anaphylactic shock caused by?

Answer 13

mast cell degranulation releasing histamine

Question 14

What type of antibodies are involved in the allergic reaction?

Answer 14

IgE antibodies

Question 15

Give 4 examples of non-specific humeral factors.

Answer 15

1. growth inhibitors
2. enzyme inhibitors
3. lysins
   4.complememt proteins
   have protective functions

Question 16

How many different types of protein make up the complement system?

Answer 16

20

Question 17

What are the 3 different activation pathways of the complement system?

Answer 17

classical
alternative
lectin

Question 18

What is the function of the complement system?

Answer 18

to bridge the gap between the innate and adaptive immune system

Question 19

What is the outcome of activation of the complement system?

Answer 19

lysis of target cell and/or opsonisation of pathogens

Question 20

Where are the proteins that make up the complement system found?

Answer 20

serum and cell surface proteins - interact together and with the immune system in a regulated manner

Question 21

What is the very basic description of the action of the complement system?

Answer 21

an enzyme cascade resulting in the lysis or opsonisation of a target

Question 22

Which complement system pathway is an effector mechanism of the adaptive immune system?

Answer 22

classical

Question 23

What is the central event in complement activation?

Answer 23

the proteolysis of complement protein C3

Question 24

When does the MAC finally become active?

Answer 24

when the final protein, C9 is bound

Question 25

What is a safeguard to ensure that complement doesn’t attack our own cells?

Answer 25

Decay acceleration factor is on the surface of human cells and accelerates the breakdown of C3bBb by other blood proteins

Question 26

What is another function of complement?

Answer 26

act as chemoattractants and recruit other immune cells

Question 27

What are cytokines?

Answer 27

chemicals used by cells to communicate with other cells