Immunology - Cells of the Immune System Flashcards
What part of the immune system do B cells form?
Adaptive
What do B cells arise from?
common lymphoid progenitor cells within the bone marrow
Where do B cells migrate for maturation?
Don’t migrate - remain in bone marrow
Two selection processes happen during B cell development.
What are these?
- Positive selection
2. Negative selection
What does positive B cell selection involve?
Ensures that only B cells with functional receptors develop further.
This occurs when the B cell receptor successfully binds its ligand, which induces survival signals.
What does negative B cell selection involve?
Testing if B cells respond to self-antigens in the bone marrow –> this results in receptor editing, anergy or apoptosis.
What is the purpose of B cell negative selection?
Promotes central tolerance and minimises the risk of autoimmune reactions
What is the first class of antibody to appear on developing B cells?
IgM
Once differentiated in the bone marrow, where do B cells migrate to?
- Lymphoid follicles in the spleen.
2. Areas where lymphoid activation and defence is likely to be triggered such as in the mucosal lining.
What are Peyer’s patches?
- Colon - lines small intestine
- A type of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT).
- Play an important role in immune surveillance of materials within your digestive system.
Other ‘MALTs’ also exist and are named according to their location or organisation.
What are 3 examples of these?
- Bronchial (BALT)
- Nasal (NALT)
- Organised-mucosa (O-MALT).
What is the major function of B cells?
Responsible for mediating the production of antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) directed against invasive pathogens
How are B cells activated?
When their B cell receptor (BCR) binds to an antigen
In their inactivated state, what Ig do B cells express?
How does this change once activated?
In their inactivated state B cells express IgM/IgD.
Once activated they may express IgA, IgE, IgG or retain IgM expression.
B cells have two main types of immune responses: T-Independent and T-dependent.
Describe each
T-independent: B cells can respond directly to the antigen
T-dependent: B cells need assistance from T cells in order to respond
How do T cells assist B cells in an immune response?
Once a helper T cell has been activated by an antigen, it becomes capable of activating a B cell that has already encountered the same antigen.
These B cells then multiply into clones of immunoglobulin-secreting cells –> clonal expasion
Which protein is involved in T cell and B cell interaction?
CD40 ligand which appears on the surface of the activated helper T cells, and the CD40 protein on the B-cell surface.
How can T cells stimulate B cell activation?
CD40 ligand found on T helper cells interacts with CD40 on the B cells e.g. IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6
Cytokines secreted by T cells encourage: proliferation and isotype (Ig) switching
Once activated, B lymphocytes can differentiate into plasma cells. What are plasma cells?
Plasma cells are terminally differentiated cells of the B lymphocyte lineage –> able to secrete antibodies and are the cell responsible for antibody-mediated immunity.
Can produce large quantities of antibodies against specific antigens.