immunology Flashcards
phagocytosis
phagocytes recognise the cell and destroy them using phagocytosis
stages of phagocytosis
pathogen is detected by phagocyte
after being detected pathogen is engulfed into a vesicle inside the phagocyte
lysosome fuse with vesicle and release digestive enzyme which destroys the already engulfed pathogen
digested products diffuses into the the cytoplasm of phagocyte providing nutrition
inflammatory response
response by cells to damage or infection involving the release of histamine from mast cells and accumulation of phagocytes in a damaged area. also involves cytokines and vasodialation.
where is histamine released from?
mast cells
non-specific body defence methods
physical barriers
phagocytosis
production of chemical secretions
inflammatory response
histamine
histamine is released by mast cells causing vasodilation and increased capillary permeability. the increased blood flow leads to an accumulation of phagocytes and clotting elements at the site of infection
lysosome
vesicle within a phagocyte that contains digestive enzymes that destroys enzymes that destroys pathogens during phagocytosis
mast cells
cells that produce histamine in response to tissue damage
what is a non-specific defence?
general response to infection
pathogen
bacteria, viruses or other organisms which can cause disease
production of chemical secretions
releases of substances such as mucus, tears and saliva and stomach acid to help fight pathogens
physical barriers
closely packed epithelial cells in undamaged skin and inner linings of the digestive and respiratory systems; protects against entry of pathogens. they are found in these places because these are vulnerable sites of the body which come into contact with the enviroment
cytokines
they are protein molecules that act as a signal to specific white blood cells causing them to accumulate at the site of infection
what causes the area to be swollen , red and inflamed during the inflammatory response
the additional blood supply makes the injured area red and inflamed and the swelling is caused by the capillary walls becoming more permeable which causes them yto leak fluid into neighbouring tissues
why is the inflammatory response beneficial
an accumulation of phagocytes show up at the damaged tissue
rapid delivery of blood clotting chemicals to the injured area stops the loss of blood and prevents further infection and makes the start of the tissue repair process
where are mass cells produced
mass cells are produced from the same stem cells as white blood cells
phagocyte
phagocytes are white blood cells that recognise pathogens and destroy them
what are cytokines produced by
they are produced by phagocytes
immunity
immunity is the ability of the body to resist infection by a pathogen or destroy the organism if it succeeds in infecting and invading the body
allergy
in allergy B lymphocytes become hypersensitive to normally harmless antigens such as those on pollen and nuts.
the hypersensitive response produces the allergic reaction of conditions such as hay fever and peanut allergy
what are lymphocytes?
lymphocytes are the white blood cells that are involved in the specific immune response
what do lymphocytes respond to?
lymphocytes respond to specific antigens on invading pathogens
what makes a lymphocyte specific to one antigen?
lymphocytes have a single type of membrane receptor which is specific for one antigen.
clonal population
antigen binding leads to repeated lymphocyte division resulting in the formation of a clonal population of identical lymphocytes
what are the two types of lymphocytes?
B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes
B lymphocyte cause…
allergies
T lymphocytes cause…
autoimmune diseases
autoimmune disease
immune system failure can cause an immune response by T cells to self antigens present in the body. the attack on the bodys own cells by the lymphocytes causes the symptoms of autoimmune disease such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
herd immunity
herd immunity is the idea that if a large percentage of people are immunised against a disease that is spread from person to person then that protects those who aren’t immunised.
antigenic variation
mechanism by which a pathogen alters its antigens to avoid a host immune response via memory cells
influenza
viral infection that can become pandemic
how do vaccines work
an antigen that has been made harmless to produce an immune response and memory cells
clinical trial
method of obtaining data about new drugs, vaccines or other treatments
randomised trials
methods of reducing bias in clinical trials by eliminating the effects caused by variables such as age or gender of the participants
placebo controlled trials
clinical trials in which a random group of participants is given a blank rather than the treatment under trial
double blind trials
clinical trials in which neither participant or doctor know which participants are given the treatments and which are the control group
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
HIV attacks and destroys T lymphocytes. HIV causes the depletion of T lymphocytes which leads to the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
individuals with AIDS have a weakened immune system and are more vulnerable to opportunistic infections due to HIV infection
apoptosis
programmed cell death