immunology of the gut Flashcards
the GIT has an undulating surface which increases SA for ______ and ______
absorption and secretion
what kind of epithelium?
simple columnar
what are the functions of mucus secreted by goblet cells?
- lubricant
- prevents mechanical stress on epithelium
- thick layer provide stable micro environment
- prevents invasion
- essential environment for micro flora
in a bad E.coli outbreak, what did some people go on to develop?
rare haemolytic uraemic syndrome
enteroaggregative strain of E.coli had acquired what?
Shiga toxin which causes haemolytic uraemic syndrome — the toxic could get through the mucus layer
muslce in the stomach?
3 layers to churn food — longitudinal, circular, oblique
what does the low pH of the stomach enable?
pepsin to degrade protein
describe gastrin epithelium
columnar epithelium with gastric pits — with gastric glands - help maintain acidic pH
what is the connective tissue layer in the stomach?
serosa
how is gastric epithelium protected from the acidic pH?
specialised epithelial cells secrete bicarbonate
what are the 4 key pathogenic characteristics of H.pylori?
- flagelli so can swim through thick mucus layer
- urease to neutralise gastric acid — creates neutral environment around itself
- proliferate
- mucinase to degrade mucus, allowing acid to cause the inflammation — gastric ulcer
what is the strongest known risk factor for gastric cancer?
infection wit H pylori
what is in the upper layer of mucus?
colonised by bacteria
what does the absence of gut bacteria affect?
- behaviour
- gut homeostasis
- immune response under stress
- body weight
- brain development and gene expression
describe antibiotics, C.difficile infection and faecal transplant theory
what is clostridium difficile?
a spore-forming gram positive bacillus which is part of normal healthy flora in 4% of healthy individuals
what are the most severe symptoms of a clostridium difficile infection? (it is a spectrum from this to asymptomatic)
- severe diarrhoea
- severe abdominal pain
- white blood cell count > 15000 cells/ul
- toxic megacolon
- organ failure
- mortality rate 35-80%
what are examples of antimicrobial peptides?
a and b defensins
what are a and b defensins secreted by?
paneth cells
where are paneth cells located?
base of crypt in SI
there is good experimental evidence that gut bacteria maintain homeostasis how?
by actually stimulating the secretion of antimicrobial peptides
what is a GI specific antibody responsible for primary defence against bacteria?
IgA
describe SIgA
- dimer
- secreted by plasma cells (mature differentiated B cells)
- enter lumen by active transport
- 1/700 people dont have sIgA
- most common immune deficiencies in europe
- antigen and T cell independent
what does SIgA seem to have some specificity for in the gut?
pathogenic bacteria — binds to all the stuff that cause colitis
what are the 3 natural defences in the gut?
mucus, micro biome and antibody
what are located between paneth cells?
pluripotent stem cells
what cells in the intestinal epithelium are responsible for opioid release?
tuft cells
what cells in the GIT are responsible for nutrients absoprtion?
enterocytes
a group of well-organized lymphoid follicles located in the_________ and ___________ of the distal portion of the small intestine - the ileum and jejunum and sometimes in the duodenum
what is this describing?
a group of well-organized lymphoid follicles located in the lamina propria and submucosa of the distal portion of the small intestine - the ileum and jejunum and sometimes in the duodenum
Peyer’s patch
what happens to the stem cells?
move up from base of crypt as they proliferate and differentiate, then slough off at top