Introduction

Question 1

why do we need an immune system ?

Answer 1

as it protects us from infections

Question 2

what does the body need to be able to do ?

Answer 2

differentiate between commensal and pathogenic antigens

Question 3

what are commensal antigens ?

Answer 3

safe ones , such as our microbiome

Question 4

what is an autoimmune disease ?

Answer 4

this is when the body produces an immune response to it’s own cells.

Question 5

how are vaccines used ?

Answer 5

they are a way of protecting the body from pathogens. The basis of how they work is memory cells , so that when the body encounters the pathogen antigen again it produces a faster , bigger and better .

Question 6

what are the leading infectious killers ?

Answer 6

respiratory infections such as pneumonia , AIDS , TB malaria

Question 7

describe viruses ?

Answer 7

they are the smallest pathogen and are nanometres in size , intracellular

Question 8

bacteria ?

Answer 8

bigger in size measured in microns

Question 9

fungi ?

Answer 9

larger and can form colonies , they are measured in micrometres

Question 10

protozao ?

Answer 10

malaria , measured in micrometres and normally unicellular

Question 11

worms ?

Answer 11

largest , measured in nm and cm

Question 12

propionbacterium acne ?

Answer 12

this is a pathogen that is normally commensal but it can have an autoimmune effect and the result is acne on the skin.

Question 13

mycobacteria tuberculosis ?

Answer 13

intracellular bacteria that causes infections in the lungs

Question 14

solmonella ?

Answer 14

bacteria causes food poisoning

Question 15

where is E coli found ?

Answer 15

the faeces

Question 16

clostridium tetani ?

Answer 16

bacteria produces toxins that target the CNS and leads to tetanus

Question 17

describe the mechanical defense to pathogens ?

Answer 17

The epithelial cells in all these areas are joined by tight junctions from a single layer of cells. This therefore, prevents the pathogen entering. In the skin and gut there is a longitude flow of air or fluid to prevent the pathogen from sticking. The lungs and nose contain small hairs called cilia that move to sweep the mucus away from the lungs. The tears in the eyes contain chemical mediators such as enzymes to protect the eye.

Question 18

chemical defense ?

Answer 18

the fatty acids in the skin which protect the skin against pathogenic bacteria. The gut contains a low pH and contains the enzymes pepsin , this low pH creates an acidic environment which is hard for pathogens to survive , also the pepsin will break down the bacterial pathogens. The antibacterial peptides will also destroy the pathogens and the lysozyme found in the tears which is an enzyme

Question 19

microbiological defence ?

Answer 19

is that the normal flora will compete with the pathogenic bacteria. For example this occurs in the lungs.

Question 20

how is the innate immune system inherited ?

Answer 20

by germline coded immune systems

Question 21

what is it based on and what does it recognise ?

Answer 21

receptor based and recognises common microbial motifs

Question 22

is it diverse ?

Answer 22

nope

Question 23

is there memory cell produced ?`

Answer 23

nope

Question 24

what does blood proteins include ?

Answer 24

complement and defensins

Question 25

what cells take part in the innate ?

Answer 25

phagocytes including macrophages and dendrites, and also neutrophils and NK cells.

Question 26

what is the adaptive immune system like ?

Answer 26

random generation of recognition. It generates the diversity of cells , some of which can respond to very specific parts of pathogens.

Question 27

does the adaptive include diversity and how ?

Answer 27

yes through somatic recombination

Question 28

memory cells in adaptive ?

Answer 28

yes

Question 29

what are blood proteins ?

Answer 29

antibodies

Question 30

what does a productive response mean ?

Answer 30

there is activation

Question 31

are both innate and adaptive productive ?

Answer 31

yes `

Question 32

antigen ?

Answer 32

a molecule recognised by a specific lymphocyte or antibody.

Question 33

what is an epitope ?

Answer 33

the exact site on an antigen that is recognised and bound by an antibody or by a T cell.

Question 34

do antigens have just one epitope ?

Answer 34

no can have many

Question 35

what are cytokines ?

Answer 35

small proteins secreted by cells of the immune system and non immune cells to influence behaviour/function of other immune cells. But the cells will only give a response if they contain the correct receptors.

Question 36

where do all the cells in the immune system start ?

Answer 36

in the bone marrow and start as single progenitor.

Question 37

what occurs to these stem cells next ?

Answer 37

then differentiates into either a common lymphoid progenitor or a common karyocyte . From the Lymphoid progenitor a B cell , T cell or NK or immature dendritic cell can be produced in the blood. The B cell , T cell and NK then travel to the lymph nodes to mature into plasma cell from the B cell , an activated T cell or activated MK cell. The common myeloid progenitor is more complicated , it can differentiate in the bone marrow to produce a granulocyte/macrophage progenitor or a megakaryocyte erythrocyte progenitor. Then still in the bone barrow a mega karyocyte or erythrocyte is produced. Then once in the blood the granulocyte / macrophage can develop into a neutrophil , eosinophil , basophil , unknown precursor for a mast cell or a monocyte. The mega karyocyte can produce platelets and the erythrocyte is produced from a erythroblast. The monocyte will produce macrophage in the tissues.

Question 38

are lymphocytes present in tissue ?

Answer 38

no only lymph nodes

Question 39

what does the lymphatic system do ?

Answer 39

drains the blood

Question 40

where do T cells mature

Answer 40

the thymus

Question 41

what is an immunodeficiency or hypo reactivity ?

Answer 41

occurs due to a lack of a certain pathway so the infection is deadly. For example, you could have a neutrophil disorder, antibody deficiency, complement deficiency or T cell dysfunction.

Question 42

what is an immunopathology or hyper activity ?

Answer 42

an autoimmune disease where there is systemic autoimmunity for example an organ specific autoimmunity , allergies and asthma or pathogen induced pathology.

Question 43

when are neutrophils rapidly recruited ?

Answer 43

at the site of infection