Introduction to Immunology

Question 1

Define immunity.

Answer 1

The ability to resist damage from foreign substances as well as ‘altered self’

Question 2

Define immunology

Answer 2

The study of our protection from invading foreign organisms and our responses to them

Question 3

Define an antigen

Answer 3

An antigen is a molecule that provokes the production of antibodies by your immune system

Question 4

Give three examples of antigens.

Answer 4

Virus proteins
Worms
Parasites

(everything that is not you)

Question 5

What is the immune system?

Answer 5

A multi-component system designed to protect you from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that we are constantly surrounded by

Question 6

Why do microorganisms want to invade us?

3

Answer 6

37 degrees Celsius

Loaded with fats, sugars, carbohydrates, water

Everything a microorganisms needs

Question 7

What is the inverse food chain?

Answer 7

The colonization of large organisms by smaller organisms or viruses

Question 8

What are the fastest evolving genes in the human body and why?

Answer 8

Immune genes are, this is because of the evolutionary “arms race” between Homo sapiens and other species

Question 9

What are the two basic functions of the immune system?

Answer 9

Recognition

Response

Question 10

Describe the recognition function of the immune system.

3

Answer 10

The immune system is remarkable in its specificity

Reacts to subtle chemical differences between pathogens

Can discriminate between foreign and self

Question 11

Describe the response function of the immune system.

Answer 11

A variety of cells and molecules are recruited to mount an effector response

A second exposure to the same pathogen induces a quicker, better response - memory

Question 12

What is your immune system composed of?

3

Answer 12

Cells

Tissues

Organs

Question 13

Give some examples of the cells of the immune system

3

Answer 13

Phagocytes

Leukocytes

Epithelial cells

Question 14

Give some examples of tissues of the immune system

2

Answer 14

Lymphoid tissue

Epithelial tissue

Question 15

Give some examples of organs of the immune system .

7

Answer 15

Lymph nodes

Tonsils

Spleen

Peyer’s patches

Thymus

Bone marrow

Skin

Question 16

What two systems in the immune system divided into?

Answer 16

The innate system

The adaptive system

Question 17

Which response is required first, the innate or adaptive response?

Answer 17

The innate response

Question 18

Describe the innate response.

4

Answer 18

Ready before an infection happens to prevent/eliminate it (rapidly)

The body’s ability to recognise and destroy certain foreign substances

Recognises conserved structures on pathogens

Response is exactly the same every time you are exposed to that pathogen

Question 19

What are the four main components of innate immunity?

Answer 19

Physical barriers

Physiological barriers

Phagocytes

Inflammation

Question 20

What is adaptive immunity?

2

Answer 20

Immunity that develops in response to an infection and adapts to recognise, eliminate and remember that specific pathogen

The acquired response to an infectious agent improves each time the body is exposed - immunological memory

Question 21

What are the three main characteristics of adaptive immunity?

Answer 21

Highly specialised mechanisms for producing target-specific receptors such as antibodies and T-cell receptors

Memory

Improvement of the immune response on re-exposure to the previously encountered antigen