IMMUNOLOGY

Question 1

describe innate immunity

Answer 1

first line of defence, present at birth and responds rapid, no specificity or memory (wont improve if come into contact again)

Question 2

what is the role of NK cells

Answer 2

they are a part of the innate immune system and kill tumour cells & virally infected cells

Question 3

describe the adaptive immune system

Answer 3

second line of defence, involves the building up memory of encountered infections so can mount an enhanced response specific to the pathogen/foreign substance.

Question 4

what is the recognition function

Answer 4

to IDENTIFY foreign substances

Question 5

what is the effector function

Answer 5

to REMOVE foreign substances (to get rid of whatever is recognised as foreign)

Question 6

describe humoral immunity

Answer 6

Humoral immunity is an antibody-mediated response that occurs when foreign material - antigens - are detected in the body. This mechanism is primarily driven by B lymphocytes

Question 7

describe cellular immunity

Answer 7

this process does not involve antibodies - it is mediated by lymphocytes which recognise specific pathogenic structures called antigens b and t lymphocytes

Question 8

what is the role of helper t cells

Answer 8

help b cells produce antibodies

Question 9

what is the role of cytotoxic t cells

Answer 9

destroy own cells which have been infected eg with virus

Question 10

role of the monocyte in the immune system

Answer 10

a critical component of the INNATE immune system. They play a role in both the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune responses.

Question 11

role of eosinophils in immune response

Answer 11

involved in parasite response (granulocyte)

Question 12

role of basophil in immune response

Answer 12

release cytokines, histamine and leukotrienes to amplify immune response involved in the immune response! (granulocyte)

Question 13

role of lymphocytes B and T in the immune response

Answer 13

produce antibodies to detect foreign bodies and destroy self-cells which are infected with virus

Question 14

role of neutrophil in immune response

Answer 14

front line of defence, release cytokines and recruit other cells of the immune system AMPLIFYING the immune response (granulocyte)

Question 15

role of mast cell in immune response

Answer 15

contains histamine and heparin (an anti-coagulant) and bind to harmful pathogens

Question 16

what are the KEY factors to immunity

Answer 16

CLONAL EXPANSION which produces more activated cells and memory cells. This gives more rapid, more effective response

Question 17

where are immunoglobulins present

Answer 17

plasma, tissues, secretions, and lymphatics

Question 18

name the 5 classes of immunoglobulins

Answer 18

IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, IgE - THESE ALL PROVIDE RECOGNITION AND EFFECTOR FUNCTIONS

Question 19

what is compliment

Answer 19

the compliment system, (aka compliment cascade), is a part of the immune system that enhances (complements) the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and attack the pathogens cell membrane.

Question 20

name the pathways involved in compliment

Answer 20

classical, alternative and lectin pathways , these pathways all end in (C3 - C3b + C3a)

Question 21

role of C3b in compliment

Answer 21

it can feedback into alternative pathways or cause opsonisation - deposited on microorganism surface and renders it to phagocytosis

Question 22

what does MHC stand for

Answer 22

major histocompatibility complex

Question 23

describe the two types of lymphocytes

Answer 23

B cells - first line of defence, these cells are designed to produce anti-bodies specific to certain trigger antigens, involved with PLASMA cells.

T cells 0 the t lymphocytes help the immune system in 2 ways. First they can recognize and destroy antigens directly. Secondly, T cells can release chemical mediators that tell other defensive cells to try and fight the foreign invader.

Question 24

what makes up the structure of an immunoglobulin

Answer 24

2 identical heavy chains
2 identical light chains
at the end terminous of the immunoglobulin on each of the chains we have variable regions

ALL IMMUNOGLOBULINS ARE STRUCTURALLY SIMILAR

Question 25

Immunoglobulins have a DUAL function (same on both sides), where is the recognition function carried out?

Answer 25

through the FAB arms

Question 26

describe the different types of LIGHT chains

Answer 26

we have TWO types :

LAMBDA and KAPPA - we find these in all antibody (Ig) classes (all 5).

ALL OF THE LIGHT CHAINS FOLD UP INTO 2 GLOBULAR DOMAINS - VL domain and CL domain

Question 27

what does the heavy chain determine in an immunoglobulin

Answer 27

it determine the CLASS of the antibody/immunoglobulin

HEAVY CHAINS FOLD UP INTO 4/5 GLOBULAR DOMAINS -VH, CH1, CH2, CH3 (and CH4)

Question 28

what happens with the antigen binding site and the epitope

Answer 28

they both fit together sort of like a key to a lock or a hand into a glove. This is describing the complimentary of heir 3d structures

Question 29

where do we find the binding site of an antigen?

Answer 29

the tip of each of the fab arms.

A unique 3d structure which is the site for the binding antigen. The only one that can bind to this will be the one that has a COMPLIMENTARY shape to that of the binding site!!!! - KEY AND LOCK THEME