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Responding to Antigens Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Define an antigen.

A

An antigen is a unique molecule or part of a molecule that initiates an immune response.

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2
Q

Define a pathogen.

A

A pathogen is a disease-causing agent

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3
Q

How is non-cellular defined?

A

They require a host cell as they cannot reproduce outside a host cell
No metabolic cellular processes (whilst they have DNA or RNA they have no organelles to generate energy or proteins)
Not made of cells

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4
Q

How is cellular defined?

A

They do not require a host cell as they can reproduce outside a host cell
Can undertake metabolic cellular processes (they have DNA or RNA and they have the organelles to generate energy or proteins)
Made of cells

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5
Q

How is intracellular defined?

A

Grow and reproduce inside of a host cell

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6
Q

How is extracellular defined?

A

Grow and reproduce outside of a host cell

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7
Q

What are prions?

A

Prions are abnormal infectious proteins.

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8
Q

Are prions cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Non-cellular, intracellular

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9
Q

Are viruses cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Non-cellular, intracellular

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10
Q

What is a virus composed of?

A

Genetic material (DNA or RNA) and protein coat (capsid)

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11
Q

Are bacteria cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Cellular, both intracellular and extracellular

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12
Q

Are fungi cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Cellular, extracellular

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13
Q

Are protozoa cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Cellular, extracellular

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14
Q

How do bacteria cause disease?

A

Release toxins and rapidly reproduce via binary fission (causing an increase in toxin concentration)

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15
Q

What is the difference between an endoparasite and an exoparasite?

A

Endoparasites live inside a host whereas exoparasites live on the outside of a host

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16
Q

Are parasites cellular or non-cellular? Intracellular or extracellular?

A

Cellular (multicellular), extracellular

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17
Q

What are the three types of barriers?

A

Physical, chemical, microbiota

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18
Q

What is the first line of defence?

A

Barriers

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19
Q

What is a physical barrier?

A

physical structures that prevent the pathogen from entering

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20
Q

What are examples of physical barriers and how do they prevent the entry of a pathogen in humans?

A

Intact skin prevents the entry of pathogens
Hairs in our ears and nose trap foreign particles
Ear wax traps foreign particles

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21
Q

What is a chemical barrier?

A

some type of secreted chemical that helps prevent the entry of a pathogen

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22
Q

What are examples of chemical barriers and how do they prevent the entry of a pathogen in humans?

A

Sweat secretes both salt and fatty acids which are bacterial inhibitors and prevent pathogen infection.
Saliva and tears secrete lysozymes which are enzymes that break bacterial cell walls, so bacterial cells burst due to osmosis.
The lungs secrete a mucus from goblet cells that helps trap dirt and pathogenic particles, this mucus is then removed via the cilia that pass the mucus up and out of the lungs and nose.
The stomach secretes a strong hydrochloric acid which kills the majority of pathogens that enter via the digestive system.

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23
Q

What is an example of a microbiota barrier in humans?

A

Many microbes live in a symbiotic relationship with humans these microbes outcompete pathogenic bacteria preventing them establishing colonies in the human body e.g. on the skin or in the alimentary canal.

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24
Q

What are examples of physical barriers and how do they prevent the entry of a pathogen in plants?

A

Intact bark and thick waxy cuticles provide a protective coat through which pathogens cannot enter.
Hair on the leaves and surrounding the stomata prevent the entry of pathogens.
Galls are abnormal swellings at the infection site which limit the movement of the pathogen by trapping it in this area.
Stomata are often sunken within the leaf to prevent pathogens entering.

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25
Q

What are examples of chemical barriers and how do they prevent the entry of a pathogen in plants?

A

Secretion of enzymes
Secretion of toxins e.g. Phytoalexins which are antimicrobial compounds produced by damaged plant cells
Odour chemicals e.g. peppermint that act as natural pesticides
Coffee plants use caffeine to ward off insects
When a plant is wounded resin is secreted which closes the wound over to prevent pathogen entry.

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26
Q

What is an example of a microbiota barrier in plants?

A

Rhizosphere is the area around a plant root that is inhabited by a unique population of microorganisms and is influenced by the chemicals released from plant roots, this acts as a microbiota barrier in plants as the naturally occurring bacteria outcompete the pathogenic bacteria in the soil

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27
Q

What are the roles of the lymphatics sytem in the immune response?

A

Collects excess tissue fluid from around cells and returns it to the circulatory system
Site of clonal selection

28
Q

What are the two categories of leucocytes?

A

Myeloid (granular) cells and lymphocytes

29
Q

What are examples of myeloid cells?

A

Neutrophils, monocytes, basophils, eosinophils

30
Q

What are examples of lymphocytes?

A

T cells, B cells, Natural Killer cells

31
Q

What is the role of the thymus?

A

Maturation of T lymphocytes

32
Q

What is the function of the bone marrow?

A

Produce white blood cells and maturation of B lymphocytes

33
Q

What is the purpose of valves in the lymphatic system?

A

Keep lymph flowing in one direction (unidirectional)

34
Q

What is the relationship between plasma, tissue fluid and lymph?

A

Plasma is the fluid component of blood in the circulatory system, when this leaks out of capillaries it is referred to as tissue fluid, 90% of this tissue fluid is reabsorbed by the capillaries and 10% enters the lymph vessel where it is now known as lymph. Lymph fluid returns back to the blood via the lymphatic system.

35
Q

State the function of the lymph node

A

Site of clonal selection of specific T and B cells being selected by coming into contact with specific and complementary non-self antigens, activating them.

36
Q

What are the characteristics of innate immunity?

A

Acts broadly against actions of pathogens
Reaction is same for ALL pathogen
Has no ‘memory’ of previous pathogen
Response level is the same for all non-self material encountered
Response is immediate

37
Q

What is the role of a phagocyte?

A

Recognise, engulf and digest foreign material, such as pathogens, through phagocytosis.

38
Q

Give 3 examples of phagocytes.

A

Neutrophil, macrophage, dendritic cell

39
Q

List the cells of the innate immune response.

A

Phagocytes (neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells), mast cells, eosinophils, natural killer cells

40
Q

Describe two roles of a phagocyte

A

Antigen presenting cell this means that it presents the non-self antigen of the engulfed pathogen on its MHCII marker to initiate the adaptive immune response in the lymph node
Phagocytosis this means that it will recognise, engulf and digest foreign material, such as pathogens

41
Q

What is the role of a complement protein?

A

Opsonisation - attach to non-self antigen on pathogens making them easier to identify and bind for phagocytosis
Lyse plasma membranes
Promote inflammation

42
Q

What is the role of a cytokine?

A

These proteins act as messengers between cells of the immune system, as well as other body systems e.g. nervous system

43
Q

What is the role of interferon?

A

Secreted by cells when they are virus infected, this warns other nearby cells and makes them more virus resistant

44
Q

What is the role of eosinophils?

A

They will target extracellular pathogens that are too large to be engulfed by the phagocytes eg. parasites

45
Q

What is the role of a natural killer cell?

A

They recognise non-self antigen on MHCI markers and release cytotoxic chemicals which destroy the virally infected cell or cancerous/tomour cell

46
Q

Which cells have MHCI markers?

A

All nucleated cells of the body

47
Q

Which cells have MHCII markers?

A

Phagocytes

48
Q

Describe the first step of inflammation

A

Initiation this means that inflammation is triggered when pathogens breach the first line of defence, damaged cells release cytokines that attract neutrophils and activate mast cells

49
Q

Describe the third step of inflammation

A

Migration this means that vasodilation increases blood flow to the area, bringing more phagocytes like neutrophils to the area, neutrophils engulf and destroy pathogens and release cytokines which attract macrophages which also engulf and destroy pathogens

50
Q

Describe the second step of inflammation

A

Vasodilation this means that mast cells, found in connective tissues, release histamine which causes vasodilation, making capillaries more permeable

51
Q

Describe what occurs to cause swelling in the inflammation process

A

An increase in permeability of blood vessels occurs, this means that more plasma leaks into the tissue, increasing tissue fluid and causing swelling (and also trapping the pathogen in the area)

52
Q

Describe what occurs to cause redness in the inflammation process

A

Vasodilation occurs this means that more blood goes to the site of infection causing it to become red

53
Q

Describe what occurs to cause heat in the inflammation process

A

Vasodilation occurs this means that more blood goes to the site of infection causing it to heat up

54
Q

Describe what occurs to cause pain in the inflammation process

A

An increase in permeability of blood vessels occurs, this means that more plasma leaks into the tissue, increasing tissue fluid and causing it to press on nerve endings

55
Q

What pathogens does the humoral response target? Which cells are involved?

A

Extracellular pathogens, B lymphocytes

56
Q

How do antibodies work?

A

Immobilising pathogens- sticking to non-self antigens of pathogen prevent these binding to a receptor
Agglutination of pathogens - clumping together
Flagging of pathogens for phagocytosis
Activate complement proteins

57
Q

What is clonal selection? And name the location where it occurs.

A

The specific and complementary T helper cell is selected when an antigen presenting cell presents a specific and compleemtnary non-self antigen to it. This T helper cell secretes cytokines to active a B cell. This B cell is then selected as it recieves this cytokine and it’s membrane bound antibodies bind to the non-self antigen presented by an antigen presenting cell.
This occurs in the lymph node

58
Q

What is clonal differentiation?

A

B lymphocytes divide to become either Plasma cells or B memory cells

59
Q

What is clonal expansion?

A

When the B lymphocyte has attached to the antigen it then rapidly replicates itself via mitosis forming plasma cells and B memory cells

60
Q

What is the function of a plasma cell?

A

Plasma cells produce specific and complementary free-floating antibodies

61
Q

What is the function of a B memory cell?

A

Remain in circulation after the pathogen has been dealt with and when the same pathogen is encountered again, they divide by mitosis more rapidly forming Plasma cells and more B memory cells. This leads to a higher concentration of anitbodies.

62
Q

How does the secondary immune response differ from the primary immune response?

A

The secondary immune response has a more RAPID production in the secondary response, and a HIGHER CONCENTRATION of antibodies

63
Q

Describe how an antigen presenting cell leads to clonal

A
64
Q

What is the function of a cytotoxic T cell?

A

Recognise non-self antigens on MHCI markers of infected body cell (particularly with a virus), tumour cells or foreign tissues and produce cytotoxic chemicals (perforins) that destroy the target cell by causing holes in the plasma membrane.

65
Q

Compare a cytotoxic T cell and a natural killer cell.

A

A cytotoxic T cell is a part of the adaptive immune response whereas a natural killer cell is a part of the innate immune response.
A cytotoxic T cell forms T memory cells/immunological memory whereas a natural killer cell does not.

bio (14 decks)

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