Immunology Flashcards
What is the role of the immune system? (2)
Protects the entire body, at all times:
- From Pathogens: Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites
- From altered body cells: Cancer
What is the difference between non-specific/innate and specific/adaptive immune systems?
Non-specific/innate is the first-line of defense and does not need to recognize the pathogen, while specific/adaptive requires recognition of the pathogen and has a faster response when it sees the same pathogen again.
What are the two branches of the immune system?
Non-specific/innate and specific/adaptive.
How does the immune system recognize something as “foreign”?
The immune system recognizes something as “foreign” through the recognition of antigens on the surface of the pathogen.
What are the ways discoveries in science have been made? (3)
- Accidents of nature
- Leaps of faith
- Serendipity
What are the 3 components of the immune system?
Lymphoid Organs
Immune Cells – Leukocytes
Secretions of Immune Cells
What are the two types of lymphoid organs and what is the difference ?
-Primary Lymphoid Organs
Sites where stem cells divide and immune cells develop
-Secondary Lymphoid Organs
Sites where most immune responses occur
What are the two primary Lymphoid Organs?
-Bone narrow (Yolk Sac and Fetal Liver in Embryo)
-Thymus
What is the role of Bone narrow (Yolk Sac and Fetal Liver in Embryo) as a primary Lymphoid Organ ? (2)
-B-cells and Immature T-cells are produced here
-Site Where B-Cells Mature
What is the role of Thymus as a primary Lymphoid Organ ? (2)
-Contains T cells, scattered dendritic cells, epithelial cells, and macrophages
-Site Where T cells mature
What happens to the thymus with age?
Atrophies
What are the Secondary Lymphoid Organs? (3)
Lymph nodes
Spleen
Lymphoid nodules
What is the role of Lymph Nodes? (2)
-Filter microbes
-Macrophages in nodes phagocytize microbes that enter lymph
What is the role of the spleen?
-Removes microbes and old erythrocytes
What are some of the Lymphoid nodules? (3)
-Tonsils
-Peyer’s Patches and MALT (Mucosal-Associated Lymphoid Tissues)
-Appendix
What is the largest lymphoid organ?
the spleen
What is the location of the thymus?
Above the heart.
What is the precursor of the WBCs?
Lymphoid stem cell : T cells, B cells, NK cells
Myeloid stem cell: Neutrophil, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil
What are the three types of T cells?
Cytotoxic T-Cells CD8+
Helper T-Cells CD4+
Regulatory T-Cells CD4+
What is the function of eosinophils? (2)
They ;
-destroy multicellular parasites
-and participate in immediate hypersensitivity reactions.
What is the function of basophils?
Release a variety of chemicals
histamine, prostaglandins
What is the function of Mast cells?
Release chemicals, histamine
What is the role of Neutrophils?
Phagocyte
What is the role of monocytes?
Become Macrophages and
Dendritc Cells (Phagocytes)