Intro to immunology

Question 1

Other than microbes, list three substances that the immune system can mediate resistance against?

Answer 1

Foreign agents:

• drugs
• pollen
• chemicals
• Animal dander (hair)

Question 2

List two immunological terms that can be used to describe agents that are foreign to the body?

Answer 2

immunogen and antigens

Question 3

What is self discrimination?

Answer 3

ability to recognise foreign molecules from self/non-foreign molecules & only respond to non-self/foreign molecules

Question 4

Name the two arms of the immune system? Upon exposure to a foreign particle, which part engages first? Which one mediates a specifically directed response?

Answer 4

1st. Innate / Natural immunity: generalised, non-specific response
2nd. Acquired / adaptive immunity: specific response to Ag by making specific Ab, and antigen is remembered

Question 5

In terms of immunology, what is adaptiveness?

Answer 5

ability to respond to an unseen/new molecule

Question 6

Explain the purpose of vaccination and define the term memory in this context?

Answer 6

• stimulate immune response => create specific Ab & memory to that Ag
• memory: is the ability to quickly recognise & respond to Ag @ 2º exposure and making the same Ab created on the 1º exposure

Question 7

What is the difference between an antigen, an antigenic determinant and an epitope?

Answer 7

• Antigen: feoreign agent
• Antigenic determinant: one part of an antigen recognised by one Ab
• Epitope: aka antigenic determinant

Question 8

With respect to antibody molecules, what does specificity mean?

Answer 8

ability to discriminate between different molecular entity (single, separable & identifiable object)

Question 9

Which three cell types found in tissue are capable of phagocytosis?

Answer 9

• dendritic cells
• macrophages
• PMN or neutrophil

Question 10

What does APC stand for?

Answer 10

Specialised antigen presenting cells

Question 11

Which immune cells are granulocytes and which are agranulocytes?

Answer 11

• Granulocytes: basophil, eosinophil, neutrophil

- Agranulocytes: lymphocytes, macrophage

Question 12

In which tissue does a T cell undergo primary differentiation/maturation?

Answer 12

Thymus

Question 13

What is the name given to a macrophage that is found in bone marrow?

Answer 13

osteoclast

Question 14

What is the name given to a macrophage that is found in the liver?

Answer 14

Kupffer cells

Question 15

Which immune cell type gives rise to antibody molecules?

Answer 15

B cells (lymphocytes)