Immunology Flashcards
Where are B cells produced?
In the bone marrow
Where are T cells produced?
In the thymus
What are examples of barriers to pathogens?
Skin
Mucous
Commensal bacteria
What cells are tissue resident innate immune cells?
Macrophages
Dendritic cells
Mast cells
Natural killer cells
What do natural killer cells do?
Kill infected cells and abnormal cancer cells - help get rid of virus
How are natural killer cells activated?
By a lack of interaction between its peptide link and the abnormal cell
What does C3b do?
Cleave more C3 to produce C3b and C3a in an amplification loop
Produces C5 convertase which cleaves C5 into C5a and C5b to form a MAC - direct killing
Is a powerful opsonin so aids in phagocytosis (indirect killing)
Wht does C5b do?
Produces a MAC - membrane attack conplex
What do C3a and C5a do?
Promote acute inflammation by activating MAST cells (degranulate producing pro inflammatory mediators) and by acting directly on blood vessels
What is an antibody?
A protein produces in response to a particular antigen
List the antibody types
IgG IgA IgD IgE IgM
What are dendritic cells?
Antigen presenting cells (present to T cells)
The bridge between the innate and acquired system
How do NK cells destroy virally infected cells?
By releasing cytotoxic granules to destroy the cells
What is the first antibody to be made in infection?
IgM
What is the function of IgM?
Clumps together pathogens and activates the complement system (by being bound to pathogens)
Which antibody is most abundant in the plasma?
IgG
What does IgG do?
Is the secondary response to infection
Is transported across the placenta into the foetal blood stream
What is the least abundant antibody?
IgD
What does IgA do?
A monomer in serum that helps with the neutralization of pathogens
Is a dimer in secretary fluids : tears, saliva, breast milk
What does IgA do?
Allergic reactions
Which MHC class is expressed on all nucleated cells?
Class 1
On what cells are MHC class 2 presented on?
Antigen presenting cells
Eg: dendritic cells, macrophages
Which class presents antigens to CD8+ cells?
MCH class 1
Which class presents to CD4+?
MHC class 2
What do CD4+ T cells differentiate into?
T helper cells (ThO cells)
Which differentiate into either Tfh cells (aids proliferation and differentiation of B cells) OR Th1 cells (increases macrophage killing)
What do CD8+ T cells do?
Cytotoxic T cells - recognise pathogen antigens attached to MHC class 1 and kill the infected cell
what can you do to manipulate the immune system?
immunisations
anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs
cancer immunotherapy
which immune cells are part of the innate immune system?
macrophages
natural killer cells
mast cells
neutrophils
what soluble factors are involved in the innate immune system?
cytokines
acute phase proteins
inflammatory mediators
complement proteins
which soluble factors are involved in the adaptive/acquired immune system?
cytokines
antibodies
which immune cells are involved in the acquired/adaptive immune system?
B cells
T cells
what role does IgA play as a barrier to infection?
It is secreted in mucous to prevent bacteria and viruses attaching and penetrating epithelial cells
what are the different ways that natural barriers can prevent pathogens from entering the body, and give examples?
physical barriers (skin) traps (mucous) elimination (coughing) unfavorable pH (stomach acid) lysozyme enzyme (tears) commensial bacteria
describe differences between the innate and acquired immune systems.
Innate is present continuously whereas acquired is induced by presence of foreign materials.
Innate produces a generic response whereas acquired is unique for each pathogen.
Innate is rapid, acquired is slow (days)
Innate has no immunological memory whereas acquired does.
what are the secondary lymphoid tissues and what do they do?
Lymph nodes and spleen.
Lymph nodes filter lymph, removing dead cells, pathogens and antigens - and activates the adaptive immune response as a result of this.
Spleen filters blood, removed old and damage RBCs, infectious pathogens and uses them to activate the adaptive immune response
which immune cells are present in the blood and are recruited to inflamed tissue?
Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
which cells are present in the blood and go to secondary lymphoid tissues?
B cells, T cells and NK cells
which cells are present in the blood and recruited into normal AND inflamed tissues?
Monocyte
describe what mast cells, eosinophils and basophils do.
Pro-inflammatory
parasitic killing mechanisms
linked to allergy and asthma
describe what neutrophils do.
phagocytosis
pro-inflammatory
bacterial killing mechanisms