Microorganisms and Immunity Flashcards
how do prokaryotes differ from eukaryotes
A cytoplasm that lacks membrane-bound organelles
Ribosomes that are smaller (70 S) than those found in eukaryotic cells (80 S)
No nucleus, instead having a single circular bacterial chromosome that is free in the cytoplasm
A cell wall that contains the glycoprotein murein / peptidoglycan
cell membrane that contains folds known as mesosomes
Loops of DNA known as plasmids
Capsules
Flagella
Pili
what does a capsules / slime capsule do
protect bacteria from drying out and from attack by cells of the immune system of the host organism
what does flagella do
Long, tail-like structures that rotate, enabling the prokaryote to move
what does Pili do
Thread-like structures on the surface of some bacteria that enable the bacteria to attach to other cells or surfaces
describe the structure of a virus
A nucleic acid core
Their genomes are either DNA or RNA, and can be single or double-stranded
A protein coat called a ‘capsid’
do not possess a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, or ribosomes
an outer layer called an envelope formed from the membrane-phospholipids of the cell they were made in
contain attachment proteins that sticks out from the capsid or envelope
This enables the virus to attach itself to a host cell
structure of HIV
contains RNA and is a retrovirus
what is a helper T cell
a type of white blood cell that is normally responsible for activating antibody-producing B cells
how is HIV replicated
enters the helper T cells by attaching to a receptor molecule on the host cell membrane
The capsid enters the helper T cell and releases the RNA
The viral RNA is used as a template by reverse transcriptase enzymes to produce a complementary strand of DNA
Once this single-stranded DNA molecule is turned into a double-stranded molecule it can be successfully inserted into the host DNA
uses the host cell’s enzymes to produce more viral components which are assembled to form new viruses
enter the blood, where they can infect other helper T cells repeat the process
individual is HIV positive and may experience flu-like symptoms
individual enters the latency period after replication rate drops
what happens when virus reduces the number of helper T cells
B cells are no longer activated
No antibodies are produced
What are the four ways pathogens enter body
Broken skin
digestive system
respiratory system
Mucosal surfaces
what are the four barriers to infections
skin : blood clotting mechanism of the body plays an important role in preventing pathogen entry in the case of damage to the skin
microorganisms of the gut and skin: gut or skin flora they compete with pathogens for resources, thereby limiting their numbers and therefore their ability to infect the body
stomach acid : HCl creates an acidic environment that is unfavourable to many pathogens
lysozyme : damage bacterial cell walls, causing them to burst, or lyse
what is a specific response
response specific to a particular pathogen
recognise specific pathogens due to the presence of antigens on their cell surface
what is an antigen
molecules such as proteins or glycoproteins located on the surface of cells; their role is to act as an ID tag, identifying a cell as being ‘self’ or ‘non-self’
what is included in a non-specific immune response
Inflammation
Interferons
Phagocytosis
explain inflammation
surrounding area of a wound can sometimes become swollen
mast cells respond to tissue damage by secreting the molecule histamine
Histamine is a chemical signalling molecule that enables cell signalling
Histamine stimulates
Vasodilation increases blood flow through capillaries
Capillary walls more permeable
Phagocytes leave the blood and enter the tissue to engulf foreign particles
Cells release cytokines, another cell signalling molecule that triggers an immune response in the infected area
explain interferons
Cells infected by viruses produce anti-viral proteins called interferons which prevent viruses from spreading
inhibit the production of viral proteins, preventing the virus from replicating
They activate white blood cells involved with the specific immune response to destroy infected cells
They increase the non-specific immune response e.g. by promoting inflammation
explain phagocytosis
idea of binding of {bacteria / virus / pathogen / microorganism / antigen / non-self / foreign matter / eq} to (phagocytic) cell;
idea that {bacteria / virus / pathogen / microorganism / antigen / eq} is {engulfed by / taken into / endocytosis into
} (phagocytic) cell;
idea of bacteria being inside a {vacuole / phagosome /
mode of action of phagocytosis
Chemicals released by pathogens, as well as chemicals released by the body cells under attack. Histamine, attract phagocytes to the site where the pathogens are located
Phagocytes move towards pathogens and recognise the antigens on the surface of the pathogen as being non-self
cell surface membrane of a phagocyte extends out and around the pathogen, engulfing it and trapping the pathogen within a phagocytic vacuole known as endocytosis
Enzymes are released into the phagocytic vacuole when lysosomes fuse with phagosome
These digestive enzymes, which includes lysozyme, digest the pathogen
After digesting the pathogen, the phagocyte will present the antigens of the pathogen on its cell surface membrane
presentation of antigens initiates the specific immune response
what are phagocytes also known as
antigen presenting cell
what do antigens do
allow cell-to-cell recognition
what happens to the antigens of the engulfed pathogen
phagocytes transfer the antigens of the digested pathogen to their cell surface membrane, becoming antigen presenting cells
what do antigen presenting cells do and how
apc=sir
Antigen presenting cells such as macrophages activate the specific immune response
This occurs when the white blood cells of the specific immune response, known as lymphocytes, bind to the presented antigens with specific receptors on their cell surface membranes
what are the Y shaped antibodies also known as
immunoglobulins
how many polypeptides do antibodies consist of
four polypeptide chains; two ‘heavy’ chains attached by disulfide bonds to two ‘light’ chains
what does each polypeptide consist of
a constant region and variable region
The amino acid sequences in the variable region are different for each antibody
what is there at the end of each variable region
a site called the antigen binding site
The antigen binding sites vary greatly, giving the antibody its specificity for binding to antigens
what does variable region do
where the antibody binds to an antigen to form an antigen-antibody complex
what is the hinge region
where the disulfide bonds join the heavy chains, gives flexibility to the antibody molecule provides flexibility to the molecule and allows the molecule to change shape which is helpful in binding to antigens of different shapes and sizes.
what do membrane bound antibodies have
an extra section of polypeptide chain within their heavy chains which forms the attachment to lymphocytes
what can the gene that codes for heavy chain antibodies in non membrane bound antibodies do
undergo a process called alternative splicing to remove this extra section in non-bound antibodies removes coding sections called exons
what are the three ways antibodies deal with pathogens
antibodies can bind to the receptors of host cell, preventing pathogens from infecting host cells
act as anti-toxins by binding to toxins produced by pathogens
cause pathogens to clump together, a process known as agglutination; this reduces the chance that the pathogens will spread through the body and makes it possible for phagocytes to engulf a number of pathogens at one time