Organ-specific immunity: GUT - Anatomy Flashcards
Name three distinctive features of the mucosal immune system
- Anatomical feature
- Effector mechanism
- Immunoregulatory environment
Where can you find mucosal tissue?
Lung and gut
Where can you find epithelial tissues?
- Lung
- Gut
- Vagina
Name three anatomical features of the mucosal immune system
- Interaction mucosal epithelia and lymphoid tissue
- Discrete compartments lymphoid tissue/organized structures such as PP
- Specialized antigen-uptake mechanisms
What is special about the lymph nodes in the gut?
Lymph nodes are quite far out–> cells have to travel far
What is an example of the specialized antigen-uptake in the gut?
M cells –> allow for selective uptake of antigens
Name two effector mechanisms of the mucosal immune system
- Activated/memory T cells predominate even without infection
- Memory T cells have a slightly more activated phenotype
Name two examples of the immunoregulatory environment of the mucosal immune system
- Active down regulation of immune responses predominates
- Inhibitory macrophages and tolerance inducing DCs
Why do the memory T cells have a slightly more activated phenotype?
Lamina Propria is full of memory cells, which are needed to respond to the exterior
What is the function of Tregs?
Maintaining tolerance to harmless exogenous antigens
Name the intestinal segments of the small intestine
- Stomach
- Duodenum
- Jejunum
- Ileum
What is the function of the stomach?
Stores, stirs and mixes food with gastric juices it secretes before emptying it into the duodenum
What is the function of the duodenum?
Anterior section of small intestine; secretions from liver and pancreas are added
What is the function of the jejunum?
Middle section of small intestine; majority of nutrients are absorbed here
What is the ileum?
Terminal part of small intestine
What are the intestinal segments of the colon?
- Cecum
- Vermiform appendix
- Ascending colon
- Transverse colon
- Descending colon
- Sigmoid colon
- Rectum
- Anus
What is the function of the cecum?
Anterior part of the large intestine, receives food particles from the ileum
How is the gastric acid from the stomach neutralized in the duodenum?
By glands that make alkaline substances
What is the function of the vermiform appendix?
Tubular extension of the cecum; blinde darm
Vermiform appendix doesn’t really serve a purpose anymore
What is the function of the ascending colon?
First segment of the colon; absorbs water from food residues before it is secreted
What is the function of the transverse colon?
Second segment of the colon. Right colon mainly enables absorption of water
Which segments of the colon form the right colon?
- Ascending colon
- 1/2 of the transverse colon
What is the function of the descending colon?
Third segment of the colon; stores waste before elimination
What is the function of the sigmoid colon?
Fourth segment of the colon; carrier waste to rectum
What is the rectum?
Terminal section of large intestine preceding the anus
What is the function of the anus?
Terminal orifice of the digestive tube controlled by a sphincter enabling ejection of fecal matter
Which parts of the colon are involved in excretion of fecal matter?
- Sigmoid colon
- Rectum
What is the function of tight junctions in the gut?
Zipper between cells to make sure there is really a barrier to the exterior