intro to immunology

Question 1

what is immunology?

Answer 1

the study of the body’s defence against infection

Question 2

name some uses of immunology

Answer 2

without an immune system we’ll succumb to infection
underpins vaccinations
diagnostic techniques - visualising tumours using antibodies

Question 3

name the important features of the immune system

Answer 3

complexity
redundancy
can distinguish between self and non self

Question 4

what is meant by redundancy?

Answer 4

if one pathway is not working, another will take its place. the immune system has many ways of dealing with infection/inflammation

Question 5

what is the basic function of the immune system?

Answer 5

to distinguish between self and non self

Question 6

what happens in an autoimmune disease?

Answer 6

antibodies are produced to body’s own DNA

Question 7

what bacteria is normally found on our skin?

Answer 7

staphylococci

Question 8

what happens when bacteria spreads to the brain?

Answer 8

meningitis –> death

Question 9

where is bacteria naturally found in/on our body

Answer 9

Staphylococci - skin
1000 types in our gut
Pneumococci in the throat

Question 10

how does HIV result in death?

Answer 10

HIV kills CD4 T cells and patients die of opportunistic infection

Question 11

what is severe combined immunodeficiency?

Answer 11

lack of lymphocytes

Question 12

what are the complications of scid?

Answer 12

recurrent bacterial, viral or fungal infections that are much more serious and less responsive to treatment than normal.

Question 13

why can bone marrow transplants be used to replace the immune system?

Answer 13

pluripotent stem cells in the bone marrow

Question 14

how does a bone marrow transplant to replace the immune system work?

Answer 14

radiation and drugs are used to destroy the existing immune system
pluripotent stem cells can be transplanted
differentiate then restore the immune system

Question 15

where are t cells made?

Answer 15

thymus

Question 16

where are b cells made?

Answer 16

bone marrow

Question 17

what are the two types of t cell?

Answer 17

cd4 helper

cd8 killer

Question 18

define primary lymphoid organs

Answer 18

where lymphocytes are formed

Question 19

what are the primary lymphoid organs

Answer 19

bone marrow

thymus gland

Question 20

what are secondary lymphoid tissues?

Answer 20

where lymphocytes are activated

Question 21

name some of the secondary lymphoid organs

Answer 21

spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes

Question 22

what happens to the lymph nodes in an infection?

Answer 22

they swell up

Question 23

what is an antigen?

Answer 23

anything which elicits an adaptive immune response

Question 24

what are self antigens?

Answer 24

one of your own antigens

Question 25

what are foreign antigens?

Answer 25

substances from outside ourselves

Question 26

name the characteristics of the immune system

Answer 26

specific has a memory self vs non self antigens elicit the adaptive immune response

Question 27

what receptors do lymphocytes have?

Answer 27

antigen specific T cell receptor | antigen specific B cell receptor

Question 28

what receptor does a phagocyte have?

Answer 28

pattern recognition receptor and Fc receptor

Question 29

where are white blood cells in healthy individuals?

Answer 29

blood and lymph nodes

Question 30

describe the steps that happen when the skin barrier is broken

Answer 30

bacteria enter neutrophils phagocytose them skin macrophages recognise the bacteria bc of the TLRs produce TFNa and IL-1 cytokines which make endothelial cells sticky by making more adhesion molecules neutrophils stick to the blood vessels and leave

Question 31

what is the most abundant white blood cell?

Answer 31

neutrophils

Question 32

what does pamp stand for?

Answer 32

pathogen associated molecular pattern

Question 33

what are pamps?

Answer 33

Molecular structure or molecules that are shared by most pathogenic bacteria and some viruses that we dont have

Question 34

what are toll-like receptors?

Answer 34

molecules on the surface of all mammalian cells which recognise components of bacteria and viruses to alert the immune system

Question 35

how many toll like receptors are there?

Answer 35

11

Question 36

give some examples of pamps?

Answer 36

bacteria have flagella | viruses have viral rna

Question 37

what happens to cells when their tlr recognises pathogens?

Answer 37

cell becomes activated and produces pro-inflammatory cytokines

Question 38

what causes white pus in a spot?

Answer 38

when bacteria come in through the bottom of the follicle trigger macrophages to secrete cytokines neutrophils come in

Question 39

what is pus?

Answer 39

dead neutrophils

Question 40

what class of white blood cells are neutrophils?

Answer 40

granulocytes

Question 41

what does tlr2 detect?

Answer 41

lipoproteins and gram positive baceria

Question 42

what does tlr4 detect?

Answer 42

gram negative

Question 43

what does tlr5 detect?

Answer 43

flagellin

Question 44

what does tlr9 detect?

Answer 44

CpG DNA

Question 45

what does tlr7 detect?

Answer 45

double stranded viral RNA

Question 46

what can interact with a cell to trigger response from the nucleus?

Answer 46

ECM, other cells, PAMPs and hormones such as cytokines