Overview of Immune Responses Flashcards
Immunity
a set of cooperative defense mechanisms which provide protection from various diseases
extracellular microbes
able to survive in animals by growing extracellularly being simply immersed in nutrients
can live in blood, lymph and interstitial tissue
ex. e. coli
intracellular microbes
invade and live and replicate intracellularly within animal cells where they utilize host-cell energy sources
ex. salmonella and viruses
multicellular
…… worms…… helminthes
all microbes can
grow, reproduce, and infect humans
types of parasites
worms, protozoans, fungi, bacteria, viruses
why are fungi difficult to treat
because they are eukaryotes which increases likelihood that treatment will effect self
immune system
comprised of immune cells and molecules (that are dissolved in plasma, interstitial tissue, and lymph) which collectively mediate an immune response
immunopathology
tissue injury caused by an immune response against microbes (because immune response creates inflammation which causes harsh environment, killing pathogens as well as healthy tissue)
aka collateral damage
antigens (Ags)
noninfectious foreign substances that can elicit an immune response
autoimmune response
pathological condition in which self antigens (Ags) in the body can elicit an autoimmune response
Antigens (Ags) include:
proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids
- any polymers can invoke immune response
- size is very important
in regards to protein Ags - 5 or 6 amino acids in length are big enough to generate immune response, anything smaller and there isn’t enough structural information for immune system to recognize as non-self
each microbe has many
microbial Ags which can be recognized by the immune system
an antibody (Ab) is
a protein produced by the immune system when it detects antigens
an epitope (antigenic determinant) is
a portion of an Ag molecule to which an antibody binds
antigens can have multiple epitopes
antibody binds to epitope through
Van der Waal interactions
antibodies bind to what kind of epitopes
conformation and linear epitopes
T-cell receptors recognize
linear amino acid sequences on antigens
immunogens
antigens that can stimulate an immune response
haptens
very small antigens that can bind to antibodies but don’t initiate an immune response
the immune system comprises 2 elements:
fixed and mobile elements
fixed elements of immune system consists of
the lymphoid organs
primary (generative) fixed elements
bone marrow (all immune cells except T-cells are generated here)
thymus (T-cells are generated here)
*generate centrally and then migrate and circulate in periphery
secondary fixed elements
spleen and lymph nodes
mucosal immune tissues