Parham Chapter 1 Flashcards
immune
resistant to infection
immune system
the tissues, cells, and molecules involved in the defense of the body against infectious agents
immunity
the ability to resist infection
vaccination
the deliberate induction of protective immunity to a pathogen by the administration of killed or non-pathogenic forms of the pathogen, or its antigens, to induce an immune response
immunization
the deliberate provocation of an adaptive immune response by introducing antigen into the body
commensal species
describes a microorganism that habitually lives on or in the human body, and which normally causes no disease or harm and can even be beneficial
flora
the community of microbial species that inhabits a particular niche in the human body, such as skin, mouth, gut or vagina
pathogen
organism, most commonly a microorganism, that can cause disease.
opportunistic pathogens
microorganism that causes disease only in individuals whose immune systems are in some way compromisesd
bacteria
(singular-bacterium) diverse prokaryotic microorganisms that are responsible for many infectious diseases of humans and other animals
viruses
submicroscopic pathogens composed of a nucleic acid genome enclosed in a protein coat. They replicate only in a living cell because they do not posses all the metabolic machinery required for independent life. A viral particle is called a virion.
fungi
single-celled and multicellular eukaryotic organisms, including the yeasts and molds, that can cause a variety of diseases. Immunity to fungi involves both humoral and cell-mediated responses.
parasites
the unicellular protozoa and multi-cellular worms that infect animals and humans and live within them
opsonization
the coating of the surface of a pathogen or other particle with any molecule that makes it more readily ingested by phagocytes. Antibody and complement opsonize extra-cellular bacteria for phagocytosis by neutrophils and macrophages because the phagocytic cells carry receptors for these molecules.
opsonins
antibodies and complement components that bind to pathogens and facilitate their phagocytosis bu neutrophils or macrophages.
parasites
the unicellular protozoa and multicellular worms that infect animals and humans and live within them.
epithelium
general name for the layers of cells that line the outer surface and the inner cavities of the body
mucosal surfaces
the mucus-coated outer surfaces of tissues, such as the gut, lungs, eyes and vagina, which communicate with the external environment to provide the body with material and information. The surfaces are delicate and they are protected by the mucus.
mucus
slimy protective secretion composed of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, peptides, and enzymes that is produced by the goblet cells in many internal epithelia.
mucosa (plural- mucosae)
a mucus-secreting epithelium such as those that line the respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital tracts. the conjunctiva of the eye and the mammary glans are also in this category.
defensins
family of antimicrobial peptides 35-40 amino acids long that can penetrate microbial membranes and disrupt their integrity
innate immune response (innate immunity)
the host defense mechanisms that act from the start of an infection and do not adapt to a particular pathogen.
effector mechanisms
the physiological and cellular processes used by the immune system to destroy pathogens and remove them from the body
effector cells
lymphocytes that can act to remove pathogens from the body without the need for further differentiation
complement
set of plasma proteins that act in a cascade of reactions to attack extracellular forms of pathogens. Many of them are serine proteases. As a result of complement activation, pathogens become coated with complement components, which can either kill the pathogen directly or facilitate its engulfment and destruction by phagocytes.
cytokines
proteins made by cells that affect the behavior of other cells. Cytokines made by lymphocytes are of ten called lymphokines or interleukins (abbreviated IL). Cytokines bind to specific receptors on their target cells.
inflammation
general term for the local accumulation of fluid, plasma proteins, and white blood cells that is initiated by physical injury, infection, or a local immune response. This is also known as an inflammatory response.
endothelium
epithelium lining the interior of blood vessels
edema
abnormal accumulation of fluid in connective tissue, leading to swelling
inflammatory cells
the cells that invade tissues undergoing inflammatory response (also called inflammatory infiltrate)
adaptive immune response
the response of antigen-specific B and T lymphocytes to antigen, including the development of immunological memory
adaptive immunity
the state of resistance to infection that is produced by the adaptive immune response
clonal selection
the central principle of adaptive immunity. It is the mechanism by which adaptive immune responses derive only from individual antigen-specific lymphocytes, which are stimulated by the antigen to proliferate and differentiate into antigen-specific effector cells.
clonal expansion
production of daughter cells all arising originally from a single cell. In a clonal expansion of lymphocytes, all progeny share the same antigen specificity
immunological memory
the capacity of the immune system to make quicker and stronger adaptive immune responses to successive encounters with an antigen. Immunological memory is specific for a particular antigen and is long lived.
acquired immunity/ protective immunity
alternative term for adaptive immunity, pathogen- specific acquired as a consequence of infection or vaccination.
primary immune response (primary response)
the adaptive immune response that follows a person’s first exposure to an antigen
secondary immune response
secondary adaptive immune response
secondary response
the adaptive immune response provoked by a second exposure to an antigen. It differs from the primary response by starting sooner and building more quickly and is due to the presence of long-lived memory B cells and T cells
leukocytes
general term for a white blood cell. Lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes are all leukocytes
hematopoiesis
the generation of the cellular elements of blood, including the red blood cells, white blood cells,, and platelets. These cells all originate from pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells whose differentiated progeny divide under the influence of various hematopoietic growth factors.