Lecture 16 Flashcards
Immunity
Acquired resistance to an infectious agent due to prior contact with that agent
Humoral immunity
Also known as antibody-mediated immunity, antibodies in all fluids, involves B lymphocytes both plasma and memory cells, effective against extracellular pathogens
Cell-mediated immunity
Involves T lymphocytes both T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells as well as memory cells, uses contact-dependent signaling, defends against intracellular pathogens
Allergens
Antigen typically not harmful to the body but can produce an inappropriate immune response to sensitive people
Antibody (Ab)
Protein molecules produced by B cells that recognize specific antigens and help destroy them
Also called immunoglobulins
Antigenic determinant or epitope
Precise portion of an antigen that is recognized and bound by an antibody
Opsonins
Proteins that coat pathogens so that phagocytes recognize and ingest them
Phagocytes WBCs
Macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils
Antigen
Any molecule that can trigger an immune response
Antigens
Stimulate a response to B and T cells, larger more complex structures make better antigens and are easier for antibodies to recognize and bond, smaller repetitive structures are poor antigens may not stimulate an immune response
Antibody structure
Made by plasma B cells in response to an antigen, made of 4 polypeptide chains 2 light chains and 2 heavy chains, chains bound together by disulfide bonds, constant regions on both chains determine the specific class of antibody
Antibodies of the same class
Have identical constant regions
Variable regions
Antibody tips are composed of highly variable amino acid sequences, provides specificity to bind to antigen
Antibody tips
Create 2 antigen binding sites
Antigen arms
Antigen binding fragments (Fabs)
Rest of antibody
Crystallizable fragment (Fc)
Complement binding site
On antibodies that do classical pathway of activating complement proteins
IgG
Crosses placenta and fixes complement, most abundant antibody 80% , if high in these but low in IgM towards end of infection, long term memory immunity
IgA
Found in body fluid secretions near portals of entry with mucus, secretory antibody
IgM
First antibody ever made when you first come into contact with antigen, don’t last long, high IgM newly infected, can serve as B cell receptor, fixes complement
IgD
Known as B cell receptor on B en surface
IgE
Antibody of allergy and worm infections