Lecture 49

Question 1

What test is used to determine allergies?

Answer 1

• skin prick/allergy test
• —> small amounts of various types of allergens are intruded to the patients skin and observed to see if they provoke an allergic response - inflammation

Question 2

What is an allergen?

Answer 2

• non-pathogenic antigen capable of causing an inappropriate immune response
• —> an allergy is an inappropriate immune response to non-pathogenic antigens

Question 3

What is type I sensitivity?

Answer 3

IgE on binds to mast cells, basophils and eosinophils
- antigens interact with IgE and trigger the cell its binded to, to degranulate —-> cytokines which cause an inflammatory response

Question 4

What is type II sensitivity?

Answer 4

Antibodies bind to cell surface antigens, fix complement and the MAC complex causes lysis of the cells
- Cytotoxic

Question 5

What is type III sensitivity?

Answer 5

Ag-IgG complement activation

- effects circulation, joints, kidney

Question 6

What is type IV sensitivity?

Answer 6

• delayed type of hypersensitivity

mediated by T helper cells