Session 3- MHC and adaptive immunity Flashcards
Why can’t hand sanitiser stop spread of C. difficile?
The spores need to be physically washed off the hands
What is peritonitis?
Why is the peritoneum a potential space?
Peritonitis is infection of the peritoneal cavity
= the space between the visceral (around organs) and parietal (attached to abdominal wall) peritoneum.
Can fill with fluid, causing ascites
What is ascites?
Excess fluid in the peritoneum causing a swollen abdomen
What does the peritoneum usually contain?
peritoneal fluid which acts a lubricant for the viscera and contains antibodies to fight infection
Dysuria
Painful or difficult urination
Why are diabetics at greater risk of lung infections like pneumonia?
Diabetics have an impaired immune system so are more susceptible to infection
Difference between phagocytosis and pinocytosis?
Both bring extracellular material inside the cell in a vesicle.
- Phagocytosis is the whole microbe
- Pinocytosis is soluble particles only
Name 4 types of antigen presenting cell.
Which T- cells do they present to?
Macrophages- effector
B lymphocytes- both
Dendritic cells - naive
Langerhans cells - naive
Dendritic cells found in mucosal membranes, blood, lymph nodes
Langerhans cells in skin
What are HLA genes?
What makes them so diverse and why is this important?
HLA genes encode MHC molecules (present antigens to immune cells).
HLA genes are highly polymorphic (many alleles). This means one infection can’t wipe out the entire population.
What does histocompatibility mean?
How similar the HLA alleles are between two tissues
Which cells present
- MHC class 1
- MHC class 2
MHC 1 = all nucleated cells
MHC 2 = APC’s only
This means APC’s present both MHC 1 and 2
MHC class 1 and 2 present ____ antigen to which T cells?
MHC Class 1:
Intracellular antigen to naive CD8 (cytotoxic) T cells
MHC Class 2:
Extracellular antigen to naive CD4 T cells
HLA genes which encode MHC class 1 MHC class 2
HLA-A HLA-B HLA-C
HLA-DP HLA-DQ HLA-DR
The 2 MHC classes are involved in different types of adaptive immunity.
What are they?
MHC 1 - cell mediated immunity
MHC 2 - humoral immunity
How do the MHC classes differ in structure
MHC 1 - single chain
MHC 2 - double chain