Nonspecific Host Defense Flashcards
Susceptibility
Lack of resistance to a disease
Immunity
Ability to ward off disease
Innate Immunity
Defenses against any pathogen
Adaptive Immunity
Immunity, resistance to a specific pathogen
Immune System
immune system also includes fast-acting components collectively called the innate or nonspecific system
innate immunity
first line of defense
- intact skin
- Mucous membranes and their section
- normal microbiota
second line of defense
- phagocytes
- inflammation
- fever
- antimicrobial substances
Adaptive Immunity
Third line of defense
- specialized lymphocytes: T cells and B cells
- antibodies
Physical Factors
Skin Epidermis consists of tightly packed cells with ◦Keratin, a protective protein Mucous membranes Mucus: Traps microbes Ciliary escalator: Microbes trapped in mucus are transported away from the lungs
Specialized Mucosa
mucus reduces mobility of pathogen
specialized mucosae include stomach (acidic)
and respiratory tract (cilia beat mucus away from lungs)
Lacrimal apparatus
Washes eye
Saliva
Washes microbes off
Urine
Flows out
Vaginal secretions
Flows out
Normal Microbiota and Innate Immunity
Microbial antagonism/competitive exclusion:
Normal microbiota compete with pathogens or alter the environment
Commensal microbiota: One organism (microbe)
benefits and the other (host) is unharmed
◦May be opportunistic pathogens
surveillance
cells/proteins of the immune
system travel throughout the body [they are
present in all fluid compartments
recognition
crucial step; cells and protein
components of the immune system examine surface markers (PAMPS) to distinguish self from nonself