The Immune System Flashcards
What is the purpose of T helper (th) cells?
They help B cells make antibodies.
What is the purpose of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)?
They kill infected cells.
Define innate immunity.
Consists of non-specific components.
Define acquired immunity.
Requires recognition specificity to foreign (non-self) substances.
Adaptive and innate immunity depends upon what?
Leucocytes.
Innate immunity is mediated largely by what?
Granulocytes.
Adaptive immunity mediated by what?
Lymphocytes.
What are the three immune system tasks?
- Detection and inactivation of infectious agents or their toxins.
- Detection and killing of virus infected body cells.
- Detection and killing of cancer cells.
Define antigenic determinant.
A part of the protein which combines with an antibody or a specific receptor on a lymphocyte.
Define immunogen.
Any agent capable of inducing an immune response.
Define hapten.
Small molecules which could never induce an immune response when administered by themselves but which can when coupled to a carrier molecule.
Haptens have the property of antigenicity but not what?
Immunogenicity.
Define immunogenicity.
The ability to induce a humoral and/or cell mediated immune response.
Define antigenicity.
The ability to combine specifically with the final products of immunogenicity.
What are usually poorly immunogenic?
Nucleic acids.
