L19 - Innate and adaptive immunity Flashcards
What is meant by humoral components of the immune system?
Antibodies circulating in body fluids
Why does the body need to be able to identify molecules that are non-self?
Because both humans and pathogens are composed of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids - therefore the body’s immune system needs to be able to distinguish the two!
What roles of protein are the same between hosts and pathogens?
Nutrient acquisition reproduction locomotion respiration etc...
What is the difference between humans and pathogens that the immune system can detect?
They have different proteins with different amino acid sequences
Why would a pathogen evolve to damage the host if this alerts the immune system?
Damage is an inevitable consequence of breaking through barriers to gain access to more prosperous regions and alert is an inevitable consequence of the damaging these barriers
What are the first barriers to infection in the body?
Epithelia
Define mesothelium
The mesothelium is a membrane composed of simple squamous cells that forms the lining of several body cavities: the pleura (thoracic cavity), peritoneum (abdominal cavity including the mesentery), mediastinum and pericardium (heart sac)
What type of epithelia is lining the blood vessels?
Simple squamous epithelium
What type of epithelia is the mesothelium?
Simple squamous epithelium
What type of epithelia is lining the trachea?
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium
What type of epithelia is lining the renal collecting tubule?
simple cuboidal epithelium
What type of epithelia is lining the oviduct?
ciliated simple columnar epithelium
What type of epithelia is the skin/dermis?
Keratinised stratified squamous epithelium
What type of epithelia is lining the vagina?
Non-keratinised stratified squamous epithelia
What type of epithelia is lining the bladder?
Transitional epithelium
What type of epithelia is lining the gallbladder?
Simple columnar
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the eye (outer cornea)?
Rapid epithelial regeneration
blinking
flow of tears
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the ear?
Rapid epithelial regeneration
Ear wax
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the nose?
Rapid epithelial regeneration
Nasal hairs
Sneezing
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the respiratory tract?
Rapid epithelial regeneration
sneezing
mucociliary escalator
coughing
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the GI tract?
Rapid epithelial regeneration
vomiting
digestive enzymes
peristaltic gut movement
How do we clear pathogens from the epithelial surface of the urinary tract?
regular urine flow
What is the primary role of epithelial cells?
Block entry of microorganisms: selectively permeable barrier between the ‘outside’ and ‘inside’
What chemicals does epithelial cells produce that act as a first line of defence?
- Natural antibiotics
- Cytokines - proteins that alter the behaviour of other cells (often other IS cells)
- Chemokines - proteins that attract other cells
- May produce mucins
What mechanical properties does epithelia have that act as a first line of defence?
- Selectively permeable membrane
- Motile cilia (some)
- Rapidly renewable
- Transport antibodies from ‘inside’ to ‘outside’
Put the following steps from the general scheme of an immune response in the right order:
- Activated epithelial cells
- Cell and fluid migration
- Epithelial cytokines and chemokines released
- Epithelial cell damaged by pathogens
- Permeabilised endothelium
- Epithelial cell damaged by pathogens
- Activated epithelial
- Epithelial cytokines and chemokines released
- Permeabilised endothelium
- Cell and fluid migration
What is endothelium?
the tissue which forms a single layer of cells lining various organs and cavities of the body, especially the blood vessels, heart, and lymphatic vessels. It is formed from the embryonic mesoderm
Define opsonisation
The coating of a microorganism by antibodies or complement to render it recognisable as foreign by phagocytes, thus enhancing phagocytosis (cells have receptor for complement and antibodies)
Which factors promote vascular permeability (leakiness)?
inflammatory mediatiors
What is the function of vascular permeability?
- Leakage of antibodies and compliment at site of infection.
- Migration of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes into tissues is increased (microbicidal activity of macrophages and neutrophils is also increased)
What are the signs and symptoms of inflammation?
Heat - increased blood flow
Swelling - fluid leaking out of capillaries
Redness - increased blood flow
Pain - therefore more careful of it
Loss of function - therefore won’t use it too much
Describe 2 humoral components of the immune system
complement
antibodies
Define the innate immune response
Natural, inbuilt immunity to resist infection that is NON-SPECIFIC
What are the characteristics of the innate immune response?
Present from birth
Not specific to any particular microbe - instead shared characteristics
Not enhanced by second exposure
No memory
Cellular and humoral components
Poorly effective without adaptive immunity
How is the innate immune response connected with the adaptive immune response?
The innate response is involved in the triggering and amplification of adaptive immune responses
Define adaptive immunity
Immunity established to adapt to infection. ‘Specific’ or ‘acquired’ immunity
What are the characteristics of the adaptive immune response?
Learnt by experience Confers pathogen-specific immunity Enhanced by second exposure Has memory Uses cellular and humoral components Poorly effective without innate immunity
Why are antibodies diagnostic for infections?
They are specific to infections the individual has been exposed to
How many classes of immunoglobulins so humans have?
5
What two things imply the importance of innate immunity?
- Rarity of inherited deficiencies in innate immune mechanisms
- Considerable impairment of protection when deficiencies in innate immunity occur
Name 6 cells involved in innate immunity
Macrophages/monocytes Neutrophil Eosinophil Basophil Mast cells Natural Killer cells
What are phagocytes?
Cells able to engulf and destroy bacteria, extracellular viruses and immune complexes (cluster of bacteria bound by antibodies)
Name two phagocytic cells
Macrophages and neutrophils