microbes_flashcards_full
What are the 3 main types of micro-organisms?
Bacteria, fungi and viruses.
What are some examples of useful micro-organisms?
They are needed for decay, making alcohol, bread and yogurt and maintaining a healthy digestive system.
What are pathogenic micro-organisms?
Some micro-organisms can cause disease. These micro-organisms are called pathogens.
Where are micro-organisms found?
Micro-organisms are everywhere!
What do bacteria need to reproduce?
If they are given nutrients, warmth and water they can reproduce to very large numbers.
How can we grow bacteria in the laboratory?
Bacteria will grow easily on a jelly made from seaweed called agar. After several days, coloured circles will be visible on the agar surface. Each circle is a colony of bacteria, which have formed where initially just 1 bacterium was present.
How can we reduce the effects of bacteria on our food?
Identify and explain how we can reduce the effects of bacteria on our food.
What is non-specific immunity?
Non-specific immunity is present all the time and is not activated in response to a particular pathogen. It is our first line of defence against micro-organisms.
What is active immunity?
If a micro-organism is able to get past the first line of defence (the non-specific immunity), a second line of defence is activated in the body. This is known as Active Immunity.
How do lymphocytes work?
Lymphocytes make specific antibodies that match the shape of the antigens on the surface of pathogens. The antibodies attach to the antigens on the surface of the pathogen and destroy the pathogen.
How do phagocytes work?
These white blood cells do not produce antibodies. Instead, they surround and engulf or ‘eat’ microbes - This is known as phagocytosis.
What is an allergy?
Define what is meant by the term allergy.
What causes an allergic reaction and what are the symptoms?
Describe what causes an allergic reaction and list symptoms.
How can we treat mild and severe forms of allergic reactions?
Explain how to treat mild and severe forms of allergic reactions.
How did Edward Jenner discover vaccinations?
Jenner had heard that people such as milkmaids who got cowpox (a mild infection), never suffered from smallpox (a deadly infection). He decided to test whether having cowpox really did protect you from smallpox.
Why don’t we usually get sick with the same pathogen twice?
After infection, the body keeps a memory of how to make the antibodies. Therefore, if the same pathogen enters the body again, the body will produce a greater number of antibodies and in a much quicker time compared with that of the first exposure. Therefore, the body is able to fight off the pathogen immediately, before the person has the symptoms of being sick.
