mucosal immunity Flashcards
where in the body does mucosal immunity affect?
mucosal tissues (epithelial barrier)
- intestinal
- respiritory
- reproductive
- urinary tracts
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what is the need for mucosal immunity?
it protects the body from surfaces continuously exposed to microbes and constantly stimulated
what does microbiota mean?
its a community of commensal bacteria that live in harmony at the mucosal surfaces
what does microbiome mean?
its the collective activites and genetic potential of microbes
why do we need to know the mechanisms of mucosal immunity?
- Most pathogens enter via mucosal route
o Is it better to immunise via the mucosal route - You need to understand the mechanisms so that you can devise strategies against inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and COPD
- Could you have oral tolerance to prevent autoimmue diseases
what does homeostasis refer to?
it refers to the healthy balance between microbes and the vertebrate immune system at the epithelial barrier
what is homeostasis maintained by?
mechanisms that inhibit inflammation, whilst promoting tolerance
what is physiological inflammation?
its also called helpful inflammation and requires immune cell activity and doesn’t involve damage to the epithelial layers
what do epithelial cells do for protection to infections?
they provide a physical barrier to infection but theyre also active participants in our immune system
what does pathologic or harmful inflammation follow?
it follows an infection that breaches epithelial cell barriers
what are epithelial cells?
epithelial cells are considered to be part of the innate immune system and play an active role in defence
what are the key points of mucosal immunity?
- Mucosal immunity is incredibly important as most pathogens enter via the mucosal route
- Epithelial cells play an integral part of mucosal immunity and not just as a barrier
- Microbiota/microbiome has gained significant interest regarding it’s role in immunity, however much has still to be deciphered.
what is oral tolerance?
its a unique phenomenon that prevents us from developing an immune response to the food that we eat
what is the surface area of the GI tract?
400m2
what are the mechanical nono-specific immune responses?
epithelial barrier
peristalsis -weep and sweep means that fluid is secreted accross the barrier into gut and moves infections out
diarrhoea
what are the humoral non-specific immune responses?
o Gastric acid (pH 1)
o Lysozyme
o Peroxidase
o Mucin
o Calprotectin
o Anti-microbial peptides
o Defensins (α and β)
o Trefoil proteins
what is mucosal associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)?
its a unique lymphoid micro-environment and allows lymphocytes direct access to microbial antigens
its found in the gut, lungs and urogenital
there are also other types
what are the types of MALT?
Bronchus associated lymphoid tissue (BALT)
Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
what is the best characterised of all the MALTs?
GALT gastrointestinal associated lymphoid tissue
what are some different types of cell types involved in the GALT?
payers patch
mesenteric lymph nodes
intra-epithelial lymphocytes
what is the role of payers patches (in the small intestine) in the GALT?
they share many features of that of traditional lymph nodes
what is the role of mesenteric lymph nodes in the GALT?
they drain into the intestine and it alerts and activates naive lymphocytes
what are the innate immune cells of the mucosal immune system?
dendritic cells
mast cells
innate lymphocyte cells
what are the adaptive immune cells of the mucosal immune system?
naive T cells
Th cells
B cells
plasma cells
what are the intestinal epithelial cells involved in the mucosal immune system?
absorptive epithelial cells
goblet cells
paneth cells
endocrine cells
tuft cells
M cells
stem cells
transit amplifying cells
what is the GALT made up of?
The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) consists of isolated or aggregated lymphoid follicles forming Peyer’s patches