Innate immunity Flashcards
hygiene hypothesis
proposes a decrease in diversity and levels of microbes in our normal microbiota may negatively affect immune responses
results of germ-free animals
- microbe free environments lead to underdeveloped immune systems
- normal microbiota have a direct role in immune system development
self non-self model
- burnet in 1949
- on a T cell you have receptors for self and non-self
- if you have a self antigen binding to a self receptor the T cell will not respons
- if you have a non-self antigen it will bind to the non-self receptor and the T cell will trigger a response
stranger theory
could not explain why such strong immune responses are elicited in sterile conditions such as ischemic injuries, trauma, tumors, tissue transplants, and autoimmune diseases
danger theory
injured tissues were postulated to release intracellular molecules DAMPs that activate the immune system
DAMPs
- damage-associated molecular patterns
- molecules that have a physiological role inside the cell, but acquire additional functions when they are exposed to the extracellular environment; they alert the body about danger, stimulate an inflammatory response, and finally promote the regeneration process
innate immunity characterisitcs
- immediate reaction
- non-specific
- limited potency
- no memory
- composed of physical and chemical barriers, phagocytic leukocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and plasma proteins
adaptive immunity characteristics
- longer to respond
- specific
- high potency
- creates memory
- adaptive immune system is composed of B and T cells
first line defenses
- mechanical: tears, mucus membranes
- chemical: lysosomes in tears, mucus, salvia, and breast milk, stomach acid
- physical: skin
defensive components of blood
- plasma (made of water + nutrients, proteins, iron binding compounds, complement proteins and antibodies)
- defensive blood cells: leukocytes (erythrocytes, platelets, and leukocytes)
eosinophils
- account for <5% of the total WBC population
- contain large cytoplasmic granules that stain red-orange
- nucleus is bilobed connected by a thin band
- possess granules containing diverse enzymes and antimicrobial toxins
- exhibit moderate phagocytic activity
- parasites and allergies
eosinophilia
elevated eosinophil count
basophils
- <1% of WBC population
- contain a double-lobed nucleus and cytoplasmic granules
- possess granules packed with defense molecules
- combat parasitic infections and have role in allergic responses
mast cells
- reside in tissues
- release histamine
- play a role in allergies and fighting parasites
- able to conduct phagocytosis
- common in tissues near body openings
neutrophils
- most numerous white blood cells in circulation
- contain multi-lobed segmented nucleus
- first leukocyte recruited to injured tissues
- release potent antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)
- phagocytose foreign cells and viruses
- elevated neutrophil count may indicate an acute bacterial infection
neutropenia
low neutrophil count
what can monocytes mature into
macrophages or dendritic cells
**professional phagocytes
monocytes
**key phagocyte
- largest agranular WBC
- contain horse-shoe shaped nuclei
- account for ~10% of circulating leukocytes
- levels can increase due to chronic infections and inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and certain cancers
- migrate out of the circulatory system into tissues and mature into macrophages
macrophages
- white blood cells that act as professional phagocytes
- develop from hematopoietic stem cells
- ingest microorganisms, senescent cells, dead apoptotic cells, and 10^11 senescent RBCs everyday
dendritic cells
- highly phagocytic found in most body tissues
- abundant in tissues next to body openings
- patrol tissues and phagocytize a broad range of antigens
- prevent immune system from attacking self and overreacting to nonthreatening substances
natural killer cells
- abundant in the liver
- innate protection against viruses, bacteria, parasites, and tumor cells
- direct killing of infected cells
- IL-12 stimulates NK cell to produce IFN-gamma which stimulates macrophages to kill microbes
chemokines examples
- 40+ types
- monocyte chemoattractant protein-1