Principles of Immunity Flashcards
Describe physical mechanisms of innate immunity
Physical barriers - skin, gastric acid, much-ciliary escalator
Describe the cells involved in innate immunity
Phagocytic cells -
Short lived polymorphs
Long lived macrophages (free and fixed)
Capsulate organisms are resistant to what process?
Phagocytosis
What surgery may result in someone being more susceptible to Strep. pneumoniae
Seen removal - spleen cleans blood
What mycobacterium is resistant to intra-cellular killing
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Describe the mononuclear phagocytic system in terms of its three components
- Spleen clears blood
- Liver clears enter-hepatic circulations
- Regional lymph nodes drain peripheral sites
What is opsonisation?
The process of coating an organism with antibodies or complement
For what kind of microorganism is opsonisation particularly important?
Capsulate bacteria
Outline acquired immunity
Specific response to antigens - creates immunological memory with specific humoral (antibody) and cellular (T-cells)
An antigen may contain multiple binding sites know as _____?
Epitopes
How many classes of immunoglobulins are there?
5
What role do Primary response (IgM) immunoglobulins play in the acquired immunity of an organism?
Complement system
What role do secondary response (IgG) immunoglobulins play in the acquired immunity of an organism?
Antibodies
What role do Mucosal immunity (IgA) immunoglobulins play in the acquired immunity of an organism?
Mucosal acid
What role Allergy and Helminth infection (IgE) immunoglobulins play in the acquired immunity of an organism?
Cytokine response
