Immunology Flashcards
Hematopoiesis
production of the cellular components of blood
-two linages that can be followed, the lymphoid linage leads to plasma cells and the myeloid linage leads to erythrocytes and many types of myeloblasts (cells that then differentiate into other things)
immune system
an internal system that allows the body to defend it self through innate and and adaptive immunity
neutrophil
- innate cell
- a type of white blood cell
- phagocyte
- hyper segmented nucleus
- they are increased when there is a bacterial infection
- have granules containing attack molecules
macrophage
-innate cell
-phagocytes (a cell that protects the body by ingesting harmful, foreign particles)
-antigen presenting
-can form giant cells
derived from monocytes
-have a long life
monocytes
- innate cell
- these are involved in bone reabsorption
ex. osteoclasts, microglial cells
eosinophil
- innate cell
- defend against helminths (worms)
- involved in allergic reactions
- phagocytes
basophil
- innate cell
- release molecules –> allergic reactions
- contains granules (histamine and heparin (an anticoagulant)
dendritic cells
- innate cell
- antigen presenting cells
- present antigen on the cell surface to the T cells of the immune system. They act as messengers between the innate and the adaptive immune systems.
complement system
a cascade that occurs that enhances the immune systems ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and attack the pathogen’s cell membrane.
(a series of proteins that get activated in the presence of something and when one gets activated, it automatically cleaves and activates another, all of which leads to an increased immune response)
how is the complement system activated?
-it is always present in the blood and is activated through pathways
-ends with the MAC
(there are three pathways and an endpoint)
MAC
- membrane attack complex
- they attack the membrane, create a pore and then go in and are able to destroy the cell
interferons
- molecules that boost the immune response
- alpha and beta against viruses
- cell recognizes something is wrong and releases interferons to go to other cells near it to tell them to make anti virus things to protect against the bad thing spreading to other cells
cytokines
- immune cell hormones
- messenger molecules that help illicit different responces
- they mediate inflammation, immunity and response
What are the important organs of the immune system
- bone marrow
- lymph nodes
- the spleen
- thymus
bone marrow
this is where b cells are activated
spleen
- the vacuum cleaner of the blood
- contains memory cells
why is it significant when the spleen needs to be removed?
- the spleen holds memory cells so without it, the patient is more at risk to disease and infection
- they will need continuous vaccines and typically will have an open prescription for penicillin because prone to infection
thymus
t cell activation
-where t cells mature
how does the immune system create host defense?
- through non-specific (innate) responses
- through specific (adaptive) responses
how does the immune system work to have immune surveillance?
-they use information gathering through antigens that it can sense