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Immunology Flashcards

1
Q

What are antigens?

A

Anything that causes an immune response

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2
Q

What is an antibody?

A

A protein molecule created by our immune system to target an antigen for destruction

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3
Q

What are cytokines?

A

Cell-to-cell communication proteins that control development, differentiation, & movement

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4
Q

What are cytokines produced by?

A

Leukocytes

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5
Q

What are interleukins?

A

13 cytokines that regulate immune response, inflammatory rxns, & hematopoiesis

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6
Q

What interleukins are responsible for fever?

A

IL 1 & 6

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7
Q

What IL causes acute-phase response?

A

IL-6

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8
Q

Tumor Necrosis Factor

A
  • Activates neutrophils
  • Mediates septic shock
  • Causes tumor necrosis
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9
Q

What are chemokines?

A
  • Type of cytokine released by infected/injured cells

- Signals neutrophils & macrophages to initiate immune response

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10
Q

What blocks virus replication?

A

Interferons

- Alpha, beta, & gamma subtypes

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11
Q

What interferon is the strongest? What produces it? What 3 things does it activate?

A

Gamma

  • Produced by T cells
  • Activates macrophages, natural killer cells, & neutrophils
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12
Q

IFN type I

What produces it & fxn

A
  • Alpha & beta
  • Produced by any cell type
  • Induce viral resistance
  • Can suppress T-cell responses & memory T cells (important in HIV)
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13
Q

IFN type II

What secretes it & fxn

A
  • Gamma
  • Secreted by natural killer cells & T lymphocytes
  • Signals immune system to respond to infectious agents or cancerous growth
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14
Q

Immunity is conveyed by…

3 things

A
  • Barriers
  • Recognition
  • Destruction
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15
Q

What are the 2 branches of immunity? & Define them

A
  1. Innate
    - “natural, non-specific”
    - FAST
  2. Adaptive
    - “specific, humoral, cell-mediated”
    - SLOW
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16
Q

What is hematopoiesis?

A

Formation of cells that make up “blood”

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17
Q

Where does hematopoiesis occur in the embryo & fetus?

A
  • Liver
  • Spleen
  • Thymus
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18
Q

Where does hematopoiesis occur after birth?

A
  • Primarily bone marrow

- Lymphatic tissues

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19
Q

What are the components of innate immunity?

7 things

A
  • Physical barriers
  • Granulocytes
  • Monocytes
  • Macrophages
  • Dendritic cells
  • NKCs
  • Complement cascade
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20
Q

What are the characteristics of innate immunity?

A
  • Immediate

- Response does NOT increase w/ repeat exposure

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21
Q

What is the 1st level of protection?

Along w/ 3 examples

A

Physical barriers!

  • Skin
  • Mucous membranes
  • Commensal bacteria
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22
Q

Describe the inflammatory response

A
  • Damaged tissue &/or cell mediated histamine, prostaglandin & leukotriene release –> vasodilation & leaky capillaries
  • Cell mediated heparin release –> decreased clotting
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23
Q

What does the inflammatory response result in?

A
  • Increased blood flow to area

- Immunologic factors leak out of capillaries into interstitial space

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24
Q

What are adhesion molecules? What do they recruit?

A
  • Membrane proteins that connect cells to other cells or ECM
  • Recruit neutrophils to site of inflammation
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25
Describe the effects of chronic inflammation
Chronic cytokine release & leukocyte infiltration --> release of lysozyme & free radicals --> tissue damage
26
What is the 2nd line of defense?
Granulocytes: - Basophils - Eosinophils - Neutrophils - Mast cells
27
What are the characteristics of basophils? What do they release?
- Least common - Mature in bone - Circulate bloodstream - Allergic & helminth response - Release histamine & heparin
28
What are the characteristics of eosinophils? What do they release?
- Derived from bone marrow - Circulate bloodstream & organs (GI & RT) - Active in allergic rxns, asthma - Act as "antigen-presenting cells" (APCs) - Weakly phagocytic - Release H202 & other O2 radicals to kill microbes - Release leukotrienes
29
What do eosinophils stimulate?
T-lymphocytes
30
Neutrophils
- Most abundant - Circulate bloodstream - "First responders" - Active against bacteria & fungi - Release cytokines to recruit monocytes & macrophages - Strongly phagocytic
31
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
"Throw out" extracellular fibers that bind bacteria
32
Mast cells (What do they release & where are they present?)
Release histamine & heparin --> inflammatory cascade - Leave bone marrow as cells mature in tissues - Present in tissues that are boundaries btwn "inside" & "outside" - Massive release of histamine --> anaphylaxis
33
Mast cells will degranulate if...
- Injured - Encounters antigen/allergen - Exposed to complement proteins
34
Monocytes (What do they give rise to? Where do they develop, where are they stored?)
- "Agranular" - Give rise to dendritic cells & macrophages - Develop in bone marrow, 1/2 stored in spleen, 1/2 migrate to tissues & differentiate into dendritic cells & macrophages
35
What are the 3 primary fxns of Monos, macros, & dendros?
- Phagocytosis - Antigen presentation - Cytokine production
36
Dendritic cells (fxn)
- The strongest of the APCs | - Activate helper T-lymphocytes
37
What are the specialized dendritic cells in skin?
Langerhans cells
38
Macrophages (fxn, location)
- Large phagocytes - Release TNF & ILs - Act as APCs - Present under skin, lungs, GI tract
39
What are the 3 stages of macrophage readiness?
A) Resting = cleaning up cellular debris B) Primed = more active engulfing of bacteria, display fragments of bacteria for T cells C) Hyper-activated = inflammatory cytokines --> macrophages enlarge & start destroying pathogens
40
After digesting a pathogen, a macrophage will present the antigen to what?
Helper T cell | - Antigen attached to MHC Class II molecule
41
What are specialized macrophages called? (Location, fxn)
Kupffer cells - Within liver - Destroy bacteria & old RBCs
42
Chronic activation of Kupffer cells leads to what?
Overproduction of inflammatory cytokine & chronic inflammation
43
NKCs
- Cytotoxic lymphocytes - Active against viruses & cancerous cells - Contain destructive enzymes - In bloodstream, liver, & spleen
44
How do NKCs kill their target?
By releasing perforins & proteases --> membrane lysis or apoptosis
45
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins
- aka. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) - Cell surface molecules help immune system to determine if protein is "self" or "not-self" - Bind antigen to cell surface & display for recognition of T cells
46
What are the 3 subgroups of MHCs?
I, II, & III
47
MHC key points
- Determines organ donation compatibility - Autoimmune disease is a malfunction in this recognition system - Participates in T & B cell activation (displayed in combo w/ a piece of antigen by APCs)
48
Acute phase proteins
- Produced by liver in response to inflammation induced release (by macrophages & T cells) of IL-1,IL-6 & TNF - C-reactive protein
49
Complement system
Enhances ability of phagocytic cells to destroy pathogens
50
What are the 3 possible complement activation pathways?
1. Classical (requires triggering) 2. Alternative (activated at low level) 3. Lectin pathway (requires specific type of triggering)
51
Complement is activated by what?
Antigens!
52
What organ makes complement proteins?
Liver
53
What is the most abundant complement protein in humans?
C3
54
Define: opsonization
Enhancing phagocytosis of antigens by "marking" them for destruction
55
Define: chemotaxis
Attracting & activating macrophages/neutrophils | - Inducing mast cells & basophils to degranulate
56
Define: lysis
Rupturing pathogen cell-membranes by forming the membrane attack complex (MAC)
57
What forms the MAC?
C5b forms complex w/ C6, C7, C8, & C9
58
What is the fxn of antibodies (adaptive immunity)?
- Block invader from binding - Inactivate viruses & neutralize toxins - Opsonization
59
Antibody structure
- 2 light chains - 2 heavy chains - Antigen binding sites - Fab (variable) region - Fc (constant) region
60
What are the 5 classes of antibodies?
"GAMED" - IgG - IgA - IgM - IgE - IgD
61
IgM
- 1st class produced - 1/2 life of 10 days - Increased IgM = Recent exposure to antigen
62
Where is IgG found?
- Blood - Lymph - CSF - Peritoneal fluid
63
Fxn of IgG
- Only class that crosses placenta | - Helps NKCs find their targets (opsonization)
64
IgG 1/2 life
- Longest of the Ig's - 23 days - Used for passive immunization against rabies & hepatitis
65
When is IgG formed?
Late in the primary immune response
66
Where is IgA primarily found?
External secretions
67
What is the fxn of IgA?
- Protection of infant, present in breast milk | - Respiratory & GI tracts
68
IgE
- Binds to mast cells & basophils - Increased in atopic individuals - Increased in presence of parasites
69
What are the components of adaptive immunity?
- T cells & B cells, which are "cell mediated" - Antibodies, which are "humoral" - Complement - APCs
70
What are the characteristics of adaptive immunity?
- Requires days to develop - Response is specific to an antigen - Develops "memory" - Subsequent exposures result in more rapid & intense immune response
71
Primary lymphoid organs
Where immature lymphocytes (Bs & Ts) grow up & proliferate - Thymus in children - Bone marrow
72
Secondary lymphoid organs
Where antigens are presented to mature B & T lymphocytes to initiate adaptive immune response - Spleen - Lymph nodes - Tonsils & adenoids - Appendix
73
B-cells (fxn)
- Eliminate extracellular pathogens - Acts as an APC - Produces antibodies
74
T-cells (fxn)
Destroy intracellular pathogens
75
T-cell subtypes
- "Killer" T-cells (CD-8) | - "Helper" T cells (CD-4)
76
Fxn of "Killer" T cells
Cytotoxic, identify & kill cells infected w/ virus
77
Fxn of "Helper" T cells
- Activate killer T-cells - Signal B cells to begin secreting antibodies - Activated cell differentiates into effector & memory cells
78
Types of immunodeficiencies
- Acquired | - Congenital

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