Module 2: Lecture 4 Flashcards
what does immunity mean?
protecting you
- the body’s ability to protect itself (mainly from pathogens and anything that is abnormal)
- how does immunity protect you?
by resisting or eliminating potentially harmful foreign invaders (eg. bacteria and viruses) or abnormal cells (eg. cancel cells) ie. foreign to the “normal self”
what is the immune systems activities?
- defends against invading pathogens
- removes “worn-out” cells and tissue damaged by trauma
- identifies and destroys abnormal or mutant cells that have originated in the body –> immune surveillance
- mounts inappropriate immune responses that lead either to allergies or to autoimmune diseases
- what is immune surveillance?
identifies and destroys abnormal or mutant cells that have originated in the body
what is an allergen?
an antigen that causes an allergy
what are the different types of pathogens that we are facing?
- bacteria
- viruses
- fungi
- protozoan parasites
- helminth parasites
- notion of virulence
what is virulent?
a pathogen that can cause disease
- the inherent ability of a pathogen to cause disease
what is avirulent or not virulent?
a pathogen that does not cause disease
is bacteria eukaryotes or prokaryotes? what does this mean
prokaryotes
- they have no nucleus
- they have DNA, RNA
- single-celled microorganisms
what does bacteria primarily cause?
tissue damage and cause disease by releasing enzymes or toxins
ex. Chlamydia, Streptococcus, E. coli, Salmonella
what is the smallest pathogen?
viruses
are viruses cells?
no
what does a virus consist of?
either DNA or(NOT and) RNA enclosed by a protein coat
what is the ONLY way a virus can carry out metabolism or reproduce?
by invading a host cell (non-self sustaining entities)
- they cannot sustain their own cells, they cannot make more viruses without going into an actual cell
- viruses have to infect the cell, live inside it, make the cell make more virus for them (viruses don’t have organelles to make them themselves)
examples of viruses?
SARS-CoV-2, HIV, HCV, Influenza, Ebola, Polio
example of fungi?
- aspergillus
- candida
are fungi eukaryotes or prokaryotes?
eukaryotes
what are the two types of parasites of pathogens?
- protozoan parasites (eg. plasmodium causes malaria)
- helminth parasites (worms)
what are the three types of external defenses we have?
- mechanical (barriers)
- chemical
- microbiological
what mechanical barriers do we have?
our skin, but all the epithelial cells that lines our skin, gut, lungs, all of our organs