Immunology Flashcards
What are the two main immune systems?
Adaptive
Innate
Why do we need an immune response?
- Prevent infection
- Prevent cancer
- Remove dead or non-functioning components
What are the 5 major classes of pathogens?
- Virus
- Bacterium
- Fungus
- Protozoal parasite
- Multicellular parasite
What are physical barrier?
First line of defence
- Skin
- Cilia
- Hair
- Mucosal surface
- Flushing action - urine/tears
- Peristalsis
What are the names of the tow layers of the skin?
Epidermis
Dermis
Where are sebaceous glands located?
In the skin
What does the sebaceous glands produce?
Oil
What is advantages of the sebaceous glands producing oil?
Makes it difficult for bacteria to live in and reproduce
What is the process desquamation?
Bottom layers of epidermis cells overtime movers to the top where it is shredded off
What is good about desquamation?
Never provides a safe surface for pathogens to reproduce on
What are the different types of mucosal surfaces?
Intranasal Sublingual Oral Rectal Intravaginal
Describe the gastric immunity:
- Outer muscular layer = generates gut motility
- Lamina propria mucosa = highly vascularised zone composed of connective tissue
- Plethora of immune cells
- Mucosal epithelium = mucus layar
- Intestinal barrier = thick layer of mucus (matrix embedding secretory immunoglobulin A, antimicrobial peptides, collectins and commensal gut bacteria)
What are the chemical defences of the body?
- Lysozyme in tears and other secretions
- Removal of particles by cell in nasopharynx
- Mucus lining trachea
- Stomach = acidic
- Normal flora
- Flushing of urinary tract
- Rapid pH change
What is the normal flora?
Microorganisms that live in your body but do not cause harm
Where is normal flora found?
Parts of your body exposed or communicate with external environment
