Mucosal immunity basic science

Question 1

What are the mucosal tissues of the GI tract?

Answer 1

oral cavity
oesophagus
stomach
intestine

Question 2

What are physiological functions of mucosal tissue?

Answer 2

gas exchange
food adhesion
sensory activities
reproduction

Question 3

Where is the germinal centre found in a lymph node?

Answer 3

In the secondary lymphoid follicle

Question 4

Where are intestinal lymphocytes found?

Answer 4

In organised tissues where immune responses are induced, and scattered throughout the intestine, where they carry out effector functions.

Question 5

What the name of the specialised lymph node which sites in the epithelium fo the small intestine?

Answer 5

Peyer’s patch

Question 6

Is the lamina propria part of induced immune responses or effector functions?

Answer 6

effector mechanisms - T cells, macrophages, dendritic, B cells etc.

Question 7

Where does the lymph from the small intestine drain to?

Answer 7

mesenteric lymph node

Question 8

Describe the structure of Peyer’s patches.

Answer 8

Sub-epithelial dome covered in epithelial layer containing specialised M cells.
Dendritic cells sit directly underneath dome next to M cells

Question 9

What are the dendritic cells of Peyer’s patches doing?

Answer 9

sit directly under M cells - constantly sampling antigens from M cells, processing and presenting MHC on its surface

Question 10

What is the function of Peyer’s patches?

Answer 10

to analyse and respond to pathogenic microbes in the ileum