Sec 31.5: Overreactions of the Immune System Flashcards
What is an allergy?
It is an oversensitivity to a normally harmless antigen, where the immune system produces antibodies in response to an allergen
What is an allergen?
It is an antigen that cause an allergic reaction
What happens during an allergic reaction?
Allergen enters the body, and mast cells or basophils release histamines to cause an unnecessary nonspecific inflammation response
What may be the causes of allergies?
An overabundance of a certain type of antibodies, or a person’s genetic makeup, or when an allergen is given to a child at a certain stage in life
What are 3 types of allergens?
Food allergens, Airborne allergens, Chemical allergens
What is the most common type of allergen?
Food Allergens
What are some common food allergens?
Milk, soy, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish
What is anaphylaxis?
It is a condition that occurs when the immune system releases histamine which causes airways to tighten and blood vessels to become porous, so air cannot enter the lungs or tissues and blood leaks out of the circulatory system
When are airborne antigens most common?
During allergy season, which occurs when certain plants and molds are reproducing. plants release pollen while molds release spores, and when breathed in, histamine response may cause sneezing, watery eyes, or congestion
What is dander?
It is made up of small particles in animal hair and makes some people allergic to pets
What are other types of airborne allergens?
chemicals in animal saliva and feces of dust mites, or small arachnids that live in dust balls and cloth
What is an allergic reaction caused by airborne allergens?
Asthma; airways tighten, breathing becomes difficult, inhalers with medicine needed to open up airways
what are chemical allergens?
Metals that come in contact with the skin or those that enter the blood through injection or digestion
What are other types of chemical allergens?
venom from bee stings, drugs (penicillin)
what is an allergic reaction to chemical allergens?
developing rashes when certain metals rest on skin for too long
What is an autoimmune disease?
It occurs when the immune system cannot tell the difference between the body’s healthy and unhealthy cells (body treats its own cells as foreign invaders)
What are some types of autoimmune diseases?
Rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Multiple sclerosis, Graves’ disease
What systems does rheumatoid arthritis affect and what does the immune system do?
Integumentary; it breaks down tissues that line joints, making movement difficult (damages cartilage, causes friction in joints)
What systems does type 1 diabetes (mellitus) affect and what does the immune system do?
Endocrine and digestive; attacks the pancreas, causing it to make less insulin and stop sugar digestion
What systems does multiple sclerosis affect and what does the immune system do?
Nervous; breaks down myelin sheaths, disrupting nerve communication
