Lab 8 - Immunogenetics Flashcards
Innate immune system
Includes phagocytes, NK cells, complement system. Is an early part og the immune response and recognizes general features of invading microorganisms.
Adaptive immune system in found only in
Vertebrates
Key components of the adaptive immune system
T-cells and B-cells from primary lymphoid organs.
B lymphocyte component of the immune system is also called — because?
Humoral immune system because it produces antibodies that circulate in the blood stream.
Helper T cells stimulate what? What is the T-cell component sometimes called?
B cells and T cells to respons to infections more effectively, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes that can directly kill infected cells.
Cellular immune system (because of direct interaction with infected cells)
How does the adaptive immune response begin?
Begins when antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which include macrophages and dendritic cells, engulf invading microbes and then present peptides from these microbes on their cell surface.
How does the APC alert the adaptive immune system?
1) The foreign peptide is transported to the surface of the APC by a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, which carries the foreign peptide in a specialized groove. This complex is recognized by helper T cell, which secrete signaling proteins- cytokines. These cytokines stimulate B-cells whose receptors (immunoglobulins) can bind to the invading peptides –> additional DNA sequence variations is generated via somatic hypermutation –> produce alterations in the receptors binding characteristics.
2) Creation of memory B cells. High-affinity binding B cells that persists in the body after the infections has subsided. Have already been selected, more rapid response.
What become plasma cells?
B-cells that produce variants with a higher level of binding affinity for the microorganism. Secrete their cell-surface receptors, or immunoglobulins, into the blood stream.
How many days does the differentiation and maturation into AB-producing plasma cells require?
5-7 days.
Why are vaccinations effective?
Induce the formation of memory cells that can response to a specific pathogen
Key member of the cellular immune response? Found where?
Class I MHC molecule. Found on the surface of nearly all cells of the body
How does MHC I molecule work?
Binds with small peptides derived from the interior of the cell, carrying the peptide with it and displaying it outside of the cell.
MHC-peptide complex- function
Binds to receptors on the appropriate T cell’s surface, which prompts the T cell to release a chemical that destroy the infected cell (cytotoxic/killer T lymphocytes or CD8+ T cells)
How are T cells alerted to the presence of an infection?
When circulating dendritic cells present the foreign peptide on their cell surface and migrate to secondary lymphoid tissue, where most of the T cells residue.
Helper T cells respons to the presence of pathogens
Secreting cytokines –> stimulate B cells and cytotoxic T cells
Th1
Primarily intracellular pathogens, secrete IL-2, IF-gamma, TNF-B
Th2
Multicellular parasites. Involved in allergic responses, secrete IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13
TH17 and TH 22
Secrete IL-17
Secrete IL-22
Memory T cells- function
Quickly respons to a foreign pathogen in the future
Regulatory T cells
Help to regulate the immune system so that self-peptides are not inadvertently attacked
Cellular and humoral immune system - comparison
Humoral immune system is specialized to fight extracellular infections, such as circulating bacteria and viruses. The cellular immune system fights intracellular infections, such as parasites and viruses within cells.
Gene expression
Process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. Products are often proteins, but in nonprotein coding genes (tRNA,mRNA, snRNA) the product is functional RNA.
Bi-allelic expression
Both alleles are transcribed and expressed at the same time.
Monoallelic expression
When only one of the two copied of a gene is active, while the other is silent. Frequently initiated in the development of an organism and stably maintained thereafter.
Ex: X chromosome inactivation, occurs in the development of most female mammals.
Dosage compensation
In females, most of the genes on one X chromosome are inactivated in every cell. As a result, the overall dosage (level of transcription) of most X-linked genes is equal in males and females.
Genomic imprinting
Epigenetic phenomenon that causes genes to be expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner. Inherit only working copy. Either the copy from mom or dad is silenced. Improper imprinting results in having two active or two inactive copies. Can lead to severe abnormalities, cancer etc. Ex: Prader-Willi and Angelman syndrome
Allelic exclusion
Process by which only one allele of a gene is expressed while the other allele is silenced.
Allelic exclusion ensures that functional B cells never contain more than one what
VHDHJH and VLJL. Essential for antigenic specificity
What is an antibody (Ig) molecule composed of?
Identical pair of longer heavy chains and an identical pair of shorter light chain, which are linked together by disulfide bonds
What does immature B-lymphocytes produce?
only IgM, but as they mature, a rearrangement of heavy chain genes –> class switching, occurs.
What does Ig differ in?
amino avis composition, charge, site and carbohydrate content.