Immunology 3 Flashcards
What are the two distinct methods of communication within the immune system?
- Direct contact: Receptor-ligand interactions
- Indirect contact: Production and secretion of cytokines
What are cytokines?
A collection of proteins and peptides, which are produced in response to infection, inflammation and tissue damage.
What is the role of cytokines?
Co-ordinate the immune system and modulate behaviour of cells.
Name the 4 classes of cytokines.
- Interferons
- Tumour necrosis factor
- Chemokines
- Interleukins
What are interferons?
Cytokines produces in response to viral infection
What is tumour necrosis factor?
A category of cytokine produced in a pro-inflammatory response
What are chemokines?
Cytokines that control and direct cell migration
What are interleukins?
Cytokines with varying functions
IL-2- T cell proliferation
IL-10- Anti inflammatory
How does the immune system recognise and respond to invading pathogens?
By the production of innate immune cells.
What are the innate immune cells?
- Mast cells
- Macrophages
- Natural killer cells
- Neutrophils
What are the three steps of the innate inflammatory response?
1) Recognition phase
2) Activation phase
3) Effector phase
Which stages of the innate inflammatory response are responsible for inflammation and pathogen killing?
Activation phase
Effector phase
Describe the recognition phase.
Pattern recognition receptors present extracellularly detect PAMPs of extracellular pathogens.
Receptors intracellularly detect detect intracellular pathogen PAMPs.
Name 5 types of mast cell.
Histamine
Tryptase
Tumour necrosis factor
Chemokines
Leukotrienes
What is the inflammatory effect caused by chemokines?
Attraction of other innate immune cells such as neutrophils and Natural killer cells.
