Immunology 1 Flashcards
What is ‘tolerance’?
ability of the immune system to NOT react to an antigen
What are the physical barriers in our body to pathogens?
the skin
mucous membranes in respiratory, reproductive and digestive tracts
What systems is the immune system divided into?
innate immune system
adaptive immune system
Give 3 qualities of the innate immune system.
- non-specific
- first to come into play
- has no memory - will produce same response each time
Give 3 qualities of the adaptive immune system.
- highly specific
- immunological memory
- antibody production
Why is it good that there be debris from phagocytosis of materials by macrophages?
it can act as signal molecules to other immune cells to gather help
Where do macrophages originate from?
made in bone marrow
What are macrophages known as when they are in the blood?
monocytes
What do monocytes become known as when they enter connective tissue?
macrophages (mature monocytes)
What is the name of the most abundant white blood cell?
neutrophils
How long do neutrophils live in tissues?
about 5 days and then die
What do eosinophils do?
combat parasitic infections and involved in allergy and asthma
What is anaphylactic shock caused by?
mast cell degranulation releasing histamine
What type of antibodies are involved in the allergic reaction?
IgE antibodies
Give 4 examples of non-specific humeral factors.
- growth inhibitors
- enzyme inhibitors
- lysins
4.complememt proteins
have protective functions
How many different types of protein make up the complement system?
20
What are the 3 different activation pathways of the complement system?
classical
alternative
lectin
What is the function of the complement system?
to bridge the gap between the innate and adaptive immune system
What is the outcome of activation of the complement system?
lysis of target cell and/or opsonisation of pathogens
Where are the proteins that make up the complement system found?
serum and cell surface proteins - interact together and with the immune system in a regulated manner
What is the very basic description of the action of the complement system?
an enzyme cascade resulting in the lysis or opsonisation of a target
Which complement system pathway is an effector mechanism of the adaptive immune system?
classical
What is the central event in complement activation?
the proteolysis of complement protein C3
When does the MAC finally become active?
when the final protein, C9 is bound
What is a safeguard to ensure that complement doesn’t attack our own cells?
Decay acceleration factor is on the surface of human cells and accelerates the breakdown of C3bBb by other blood proteins
What is another function of complement?
act as chemoattractants and recruit other immune cells
What are cytokines?
chemicals used by cells to communicate with other cells
