Immunology - Week 2 - Part I - T Cells Flashcards
What is an Epitope?
The part of an antigen that is recognized by lymphocyte antigen receptors (also known as antigenic determinant)
What are the domains of TCR and BCR receptors? (2)
Constant Region and Variable Region
What causes the proliferation of T cells from the lymphoid progenitor? Where does this occur?
IL-7 in the bone marrow
Where does T-Cell induction take place?
In lymphatic tissues (lymph nodes or the spleen)
Does the constant region of TCR or BCR change?
BCR constant region: can change TCR constant region: fixed
What does the TCR need to do to get passed the FIRST checkpoint during maturation?
Express the variable and constant region of the beta chain
What does the TCR need to do to get passed the SECOND checkpoint during maturation?
Express the variable and constant region of the alpha chain
What are the recombination events that lead to the beta chain of TCR?
1st recombination event: D and J recombination
2nd recombination event: V with DJ
3rd recombination event: VDJ with the Constant region Note: many different types of V, D and J
What are the recombination events that lead to the alpha chain of TCR?
1st recombination event: V with J
2nd recombination event: VJ with the Constant region Note: many different types of V and J
Where is most of the variability found in the TCR alpha and beta chains?
3 regions of hyper-variability in both chains CDR1, CDR2, CDR3
What are the mechanisms of antigenic diversity for the TCR and BCR? (2)
Combinatorial Variability Junctional Variability
What is Combinational Variability?
TCR and BCR variability caused by variation among possible V-D-J (beta chain) and V-J (alpha chain) exon combinations
What is Junctional Variability? (3 mechanisms)
TCR and BCR variability caused by modifications to the genes during the recombination process. 3 mechanisms: 1) Removal of nucleotides 2) Addition of nucleotides by TdT enzyme 3) Strand repair
What is the TdT enzyme? What would a mutation to the TdT enzyme cause?
adds nucleotides to TCR or BCR receptor gene - contributes to TCR or BCR variability Mutation: immune-compramise
What is the FIRST SIGNAL in T Cell activation?
TCR and CD4/CD8 co-receptor recognize MHC/antigen complexes presented by APC’s
What is LFA1? What does it bind to?
LFA1 is a T cell intagrin that increases its affinity when the TCR recognizes an antigen/MHC complex. Binds to ICAM-1 on the APC cell surface
What is CD4?
CD4 is a TCR co-receptor that INDEPENDENTLY recognizes MHC Class II
What is CD8?
CD8 is a TCR co-receptor that INDEPENDENTLY recognizes MHC Class I
What do CD4+ T-Cells differentiate into?
Helper T Cells
What do CD8+ T-Cells differentiate into?
Cytolytic T Lymphocytes (CTLs)
How many TCR/co-receptors need to be engaged in order to activate naive T cells? (for the first signal)
2 or more