Immunology Flashcards
Topic 1 - History
Immune recognition
remarkable for its specificity
Effector response
eliminate or neutralize the organism
memory response (rapid and heightened)
Thucydides (460-404 B.C.)
has developed an immunity against plaque and not worried of
catching it again; immune to reinfection
Immunis, meaning “exempt”=immunity
Chinese and Turks (15th )
The first recorded attempts to induce immunity
(variolation); deliberate exposure (India)
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1718)
wife of the British Ambassador to Constantinople
variolation to her own kids
Edward Jenner (1798) EARLY IMMUNOLOGICAL THEORIES (17TH-18TH CENTURY)
introduces vaccination or immunization using cowpox to protect against smallpox; laying the foundation of modern immunology
Antoine van Leeuwenhoek (1670’s)
visualization of MQS, indirectly influencing the understanding of infections and immunity
Antoine van Leeuwenhoek (1670’s)
visualization of MQS, indirectly influencing the understanding of infections and immunity
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) GERM THEORY AND THE RISE OF MODERN IMMUNOLOGY (19TH CENTURY)
Father of Microbiology”; proved that microbes cause diseases; developed vaccines for rabies and anthrax; introduced the concept of attenuation, where pathogens are weakened for vaccine use.
Pouilly-le-Fort in 1881
where he first vaccinated one group of sheep with heat-attenuated Bacillus anthracis
Robert Koch (1843-1910)
The Germ Theory of Disease; Koch Postulates
Established a systematic method to link specific pathogens to
disease, which further connected immunology to microbiology
Elie Metchnikoff (1882) CELLULAR vs. HUMORAL IMMUNITY DEBATE (Late 19th – 20th Century)
discovered phagocytosis and proposed the concept of cellular immunity, emphasizing the role of WBC in defending the body.
Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato (1890)
demonstrated humoral immunity by showing that Ab’s in serum could neutralize toxins, leading to the discovery of antitoxins.
1 Selective Theory (Paul Ehrlich in 1900)
Proposed the side-chain theory of Ab production, which foreshadowed the clonal selection theory.
He proposed that cells in the blood expressed a variety of receptors which he called “side-chain receptors” that could react with infectious agents and inactivate them; fit between lock and key
The specificity of the receptor was determined before its exposure to an antigen, and the antigen selected the appropriate receptor
The “receptor” exists as both soluble Ab molecule and as a cell-bound receptor, it is the soluble form that is secreted rather
than the bound form that is released.
The theory about the immune response (Ab production)
2 Instructional Theories (late 1930’s and 1940’s)
Antigens played a direct role in shaping or instructing the immune response; antigens provided a template or instruction for the immune system to produce specific Ab’s Ag played a central role in determining the specificity of an Ab molecule
A particular Ag would serve as template around which Ab would fold. The Ab molecule would thereby assumes configuration complementary to that of the Ag template. Disproved in the 1960’s
3 Clonal Selection Theory (1957)
Proposed by Macfarlane Burnet, this theory explained how specific Ab’s are produced in response to Ag’s.
An individual lymphocytes expresses membrane receptors that are specific for distinct Ag. This unique receptor specificity is determined before the lymphocyte is exposed to the Ag.
Binding of Ag to its specific receptor activates the cell, causing it to proliferate into a clone of cells that have same immunologic specificity as the parent cell.
4 Karl Landsteiner
Discovered blood groups, advancing our understanding of immune recognition and compatibility.
5 The Discovery of Lymphocytes
Identification of B and T cells clarified the distinct roles of humoral and cellular immunity.
Discovery of Cytokines and Signaling Pathways
Understanding molecules like interferons and interleukins revealed how cells comm
Monoclonal Antibodies (1975)
Kohler and Milstein’s development of monoclonal antibodies revolutionized diagnostics and therapeutics.
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)
Studies on MHC shed light on antigen presentation and self-recognition, essential for adaptive immunity.
Immunotherapy
Advances such as checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, and mRNA vaccines highlight the immune system’s potential in treating cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases.
HIV/AIDS Research
Pioneered understanding of immune evasion by viruses.
COVID-19 Pandemic:
Accelerated vaccine development using novel platforms like mRNA and adenoviral vectors, showcasing immunology’s role in public health.
Systems Immunology
Integration of computational biology to study the immune system holistically.
Serology
Antibodies in blood serum, particularly as an indicator of infection
immunology
body’s defense against specific diseases
Emil A. von Behring 1901 Germany
Developed a diphtheria antitoxin
Paul Ehrlich 1908 Germany
Developed theories on immunity
Gerald M. Edelman and Rodney R. Porter 1972 United States and England
Described the nature and structure of antibodies
Cesar Milstein, Gegorges J.F Kohler, nd Niels Kai Jerne 1984 Argentin, Germany, and Denmark
Developed a technique for producing monoclonal antibodies (single pure antibodies)
Susumu Tonegawa 1987 Japan
Described the genetics of antibody production
Joseph E. Murray and E. Donnll Thomas 1990 United States
Performed the first successful organ transplant by immunosuppressive agents
Peter C Doherty and Rolk M. Zinkernagel 1996 Australia and Switzerland
Discovered how cytotoxin T cells recognize virus-infected cells prior to destroying them
Lazaro Spallanzani (1729-1799)
Did experiments, results disproved spontaneous generation
Edward Jenner (1749-1823)
Discovered vaccination for smallpox using cowpox vaccine
Theodor Schwan (1810-1882)
Performed experiments, results disproved spontaneous generation
Paaul Ehrlich (1854-1915)
Developed modern concept of chemotherapy and chemotherapeutic agents
ellie Metchnikoff (1845-1916)
Discovered phagocytosis
1798
Jenner introduces first vaccine, using cowpox against smallpox
1881
Pasteur vaccinates against anthrax
1883
Metchnicoff shows that white blood cells my protect against diseases by engulfing bacteria
1886
Pasteur vaccinates against rabies; Enrlich develops salvarsan to treat syphilis
1984
Milstein, Koehler, and Jeme produce monoclonal antibodies
1990
Murry and Johnson use immunosuppressive agents to perform successful transplants
