Lecture 1: Introduction to Immune Response

Question 1

Which branch (innate vs. adaptive) of the immune system is evolutionarily older?

Answer 1

Innate immunity.

Question 2

Which branch (innate vs. adaptive) of the immune system works the fastest?

Answer 2

Innate (minutes to hours), adaptive takes days to weeks

Question 3

What is a pattern recognition receptor (PRR)? What do they do?

Answer 3

Cells of the innate immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells have PRRs that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). This is how the body knows there is a foreigner inside.

Question 4

What two major cells are part of the adaptive immune system?

Answer 4

B and T cells.

Question 5

Which adaptive immune cells are part of the humoral immune system?

Answer 5

B cells.

Question 6

Which adaptive immune cells are part of the cell-mediated immune system?

Answer 6

T cells.

Question 7

Define anti-serum.

Answer 7

Blood serum containing antibodies that can be transferred to non-immune (naive) recipients.

Question 8

After initial exposure to a foreign antigen, how long does it take to gain detectable levels of antibody? What is the period called when levels of antibody are not detectable?

Answer 8

It takes 5-7 days to generate detectable levels of antibody (called the primary response). This is called the lag phase.

Question 9

What does clonal selection theory state?

Answer 9

People randomly create billions of different B and T cells, each of which recognize a specific antigen. The antigens that are “non-self” make it to maturity. Before a person is immune to a particular disease, however, clonal expansion must occur first (the basis for immunizations).

Question 10

Roughly how long does it take a B cell to divide?

Answer 10

~10 hours

Question 11

Name three examples of bio active substances that are part of innate immunity.

Answer 11

Lysozyme in tears and in skin, anti-microbial proteins, cytokines.