Immunology Flashcards
Neutrophils (granulocyte)
- 40-75% of all white blood cells
- first line of defense against ALL infections
- phagocytize invading organisms and presenting antigens to the immune system
- Have segmented nuclei, cytoplasm is full of pink/purpe intracellular granules
Eosinophils (granulocyte)
- 1-6% of white blood cells
- specifically act against multicellular parasites by dissolving their cell surfaces
- involved in IgE mediated allergic disorders
- have bilobed nuclei and intracelluar granules and stain brick red
Basophils (granulocytes)
- 0-1% of white blood cells
- circulating counterparts of tissue mast cells and are mysterious
- bilobed nucleim dark staining intracellular granules
blood monocytes
- 2-10% of white blood cells
- produced in the bone marrow and travel in the bloodstream to their target tissues and become MACROPHAGES
- roles in phagocytosis, antigen presentation and cytokine production
- large cells, fine ground glass granules and horsehose shaped nuclei
tissue macrophages
- aren’t found on a full blood count
- derived from blood monocytes, which differentiate once they reach their target tissues and express CD14 receptors
- tidy up pathogens or foreign debris
- perform antigen presentation and can activate memory cells
- large cells with horseshoe shaped nuclei
- have pseudopodia
- contain a phagosome
- Kupffer in liver, alveolar in lung, osteoclast in bone, and microglial in neurons
dendritic cells
-main antigen presenting cells of the immune system
-role in activating helper T cells and memory cells
-formed in the bone marrow and circulate in the bloodstream until they reach their target tissues, where they are activated by pathogens and differentiate into mature form
0phagocytose pathogens before migrating to the lymph nodes and present antigens to activate the adaptive immune respone
-have processes braching out
-langerhans cells in skin
lymphocytes
- 20-45% of all white blood cells
- B, T, and NK cells
- B and T make up majority of lymphocyte population
B cells
- 25% of total lymphocyte population
- B cell surface markers: CD19, CD20, CD21, MHC II
- essential for humoral immunity ie antibody mediated response
- plasma cells are mature B cells that secrete antibodies
- memory B cells allow for quicker antibody response to subsequent infections
T Cells
- 70% of total lymphocyte population
- all express CD3 on surface along with TCRs that recognize specific antigens presented in MHC I or II molecule
- Helper T cells (CD4) facilitated activation of immune response and stimulate division and differentiation of various effector cells
- Cytotoxic T cells (CD8) effector T cells, provide cell mediated immunity by targeting and killing infected cells
- Regulatory T cels (CD25 and FOXP3) suppressor T cells, limit immune response to prevent excessive damage to tissues and orgas
- memory T cells (CD62 and CCR7) allow immune system to ount a faster, more effective response
NK cells
- 5% total lymphocyte population
- larger, primitive, with granules
- express CD15 and CD56 and many express CD8
- form part of both the innate and adaptive immune systems
- able to destroy pathogens and infected cells without the need for prior activation by specific antigens
- important in viral immunity and tumor rejection
Very first steps of innate immune system
- Fast: established within about 4 hours
- Non-specific and no memory
- Cellular response by innate immune system, chemical response by cytokines and complement, and initiation of an acute inflammatory response
phagocytes
- innate immune response
- dendritic, blood monocytes, tissue macrohages, and neutrophils
- identify pathogens by recognizing PAMP and PRRs
- internalize and kill dangerous organisms
- present digested protein antigens to MHCs
- MHC restriction prevents immune system fro being activated too easily
- when phagocyte PRRs are exposed to PAMPs, NFKB is activated
- NFKB is a transcription factor which results in the release of proinflammatory cytokines and the initiation of inflammatory response
natural killer cells
- do NOT require activation by specific antigens and are able to respond immediately to pathogen
- all nucleated “self” cells express MHC I to protect from NK cells
- any cells without identifiable MHC I are likely to be destroyed by NK cells, which release toxic granules to induce apoptosis
- MHC I expression often suppressed if cells are infected with viruses or have become cancerous
classical pathway
activated by antibody-antigen complexes (immune complexes) on pathogen surfaces
mannose-binding lectin pathway
activated when mannose-binding lectin binds to the carbohydrate molecule mannose on pathogen surfaces
alternative pathway
C3 reacts directly with pathogen surfaces
C3 convertase
- all three pathways act to generate this enzyme
- claves into C3a and C3b and activates the rest of the cascade