Immunology

Question 1

What is an antigen?

Answer 1

Anything that binds to a specific receptor on an immune cell

Question 2

What is an immunogen?

Answer 2

Anything that elicits an immune response

Question 3

What is an epitope?

Answer 3

The portion of an antigen that is recognised and bound by a receptor on an immune cell

Question 4

Which white blood cells are involved in innate immunity?

Answer 4

Neutrophils
Monocytes (which differentiate into macrophages)
Basophils
Eosinophils

Question 5

Which white blood cells are involved in adaptive immunity?

Answer 5

Natural killer cells

Small lymphocytes which are T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes

When B lymphocytes are activated they differentiate into plasma cells which produce antibodies

Question 6

What are PAMPs? Give examples

Answer 6

Pathogen associated molecular patterns

Humans don’t have them, so it’s how macrophages can identify foreign material

Examples:
Double stranded RNA
Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

Question 7

How are pathogens recognised by the immune system?

Answer 7

Macrophages have Toll-like receptors (10 different types) which are a type of Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRR)

The Toll like receptor binds to the PAMP, which activates the macrophage and causes cytokines secretion

Question 8

What are the main functions of macrophages?

Answer 8

• recognise pathogens with their Toll like receptors
• phagocytose infected cells
• release cytokines which trigger inflammation and the acquired immune response