Section 1 Flashcards
What are the 2 sections of the immune system?
1) Innate
2) Adaptive
Which immune system are we born with?
Innate
Which immune system is acquired?
Adaptive
What is an example of the innate immune system at work?
Tears when something gets in your eye
What is an example of the adaptive immune system?
Chicken pox - once you get it, you never get it again
What is the first thing an infectious agent encounters in the body?
Innate immune system
What happens if the innate immune system cannot prevent disease?
Adaptive immune system is activated to produce recovery and memory
What happens if re-infection of the same agent occurs?
No disease results because the individual has acquired immunity against that agent
Define infection
Presence of a foreign pathogen in the body
Does infection = disease?
No
What part of the immune system is skin a part of?
Innate
What are the soluble factors found in the innate immune system?
Lysozyme, complement proteins, and acute phase proteins
What is an example of an acute phase protein found in the innate immune system?
C-reactive proteins
What are the soluble factors found in the adaptive immune system?
Antibody
What are main cells in the innate immune system?
Phagocytes and natural killer cells
What are main cells in the adaptive immune system?
T lymphocytes
Does the response stay the same or increase in the innate immune system?
Stays the same
Does the response stay the same or increase in the adaptive immune system?
Increases with each subsequent exposure to the same agent
Which immune system is specific and what does this mean?
- Adaptive
- Response changes for each pathogen
Most bodily secretions contain _______
Lysozyme
What is the function of C-reactive proteins?
Act as a signal for immune system to attack something by coating bacterial cells
Do soluble factors increase or decrease in response to infections?
Increase
What can soluble factors be used as?
Diagnostic tools
What are examples of biochemical defences against entry into the body?
- Lysozyme
- Sebaceous gland secretions
- Commensal organisms in gut and vagina
- Spermine in semen
What are examples of chemical and physical defences against entry into the body?
- Mucus
- Cilia lining trachea
- Acid in stomach
- Skin
What do sebaceous glands secrete?
Fatty acids that have anti-microbial properties
What can survive in the low pH of the stomach?
Spores
Which type of immunity is always present?
Innate
What are the 2 main mechanisms of innate immunity?
1) Limit entry
2) Limit growth
How does the innate immune system limit entry through the skin?
- Low pH means it is impermeable to the majority of infectious agents
- Hostile environment for many bacteria (lactic acid and fatty acids)
What would a loss of skin cause?
Serious infections
How do cilia limit entry?
Moving extremely fast to prevent bacteria from binding to cell surface
What is the importance of the flushing action of membranes?
Tears/saliva/urine protect and clean epithelial surface, preventing pathogens from binding to the surface