Lecture 33 - Linking innate and adaptive immunity

Question 1

What are 3 key components of immune cell communication?

Answer 1

Soluble chemical messengers, surface bound ligands, antigens

Question 2

What are soluble chemical messengers and how do they lead to cell communication?

Answer 2

Soluble molecules (chemokines and cytokines) bind to chemokine and cytokine cell membrane receptors which triggers a cellular response.

Question 3

How are surface bound ligands involved in immune cell communication?

Answer 3

Cell surface-bound receptors bind to cell surface ligands which can relay between T and B cells, altering the function of one or both cells, by up or down regulating gene expression

Question 4

What are ligands, in terms of immunity?

Answer 4

Molecules that are relayed between cell surface receptors on different cells for communication.

Question 5

What are antigens, in terms of a pathogen?

Answer 5

A part of a pathogen that can be recognised by the immune system .

Question 6

How are antigens involved in immune cell communication, particularly in linking innate and adaptive immunity?

Answer 6

Dendritic and other cells can present antigens to T-cells by binding them to cell surface receptors, which triggers an adaptive response.

Question 7

What are the types of antigens?

Answer 7

Foreign and self antigens

Question 8

What are foreign antigens?

Answer 8

Antigens that come from outside the body - pathogens, chemicals, etc.

Question 9

What are self antigens?

Answer 9

Antigens produced by the body that the immune system is usually tolerant of and recognises as self.

Question 10

What is activated dendritic cell communication?

Answer 10

Process in which PAMP activated dendritic cells make cytokines and chemokines, utilise surface bound ligands and present antigens to active T-cells.