The Specific Immune Response Flashcards
What is an antigen presenting cell?
- antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are macrophages displaying non-self peptides
- it is a type of immune cell that boosts immune responses by showing antigens on its surface to other cells of the immune system
Where are B cells produced? What does each B cell have? How is the B cell activated?
- B (lymphocyte) cells are produced in the bone marrow
- each B cell has one specific type of antigen receptor on its surface
- the B cell is activated when its receptor binds to an antigen with the complimentary shape
Where are T cells produced? Where do they mature? What does each T cell have?
- like B cells, T cells are also produced in the bone marrow, but they mature in the thymus gland
- T cells each have one specific type of antigen receptor on their surface
- this only binds to an antigen with the complimentary shape
What are antibodies?
- antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to foreign substances, such as viruses or bacteria
antigen
What does a T helper cell do when activated? What do they enhance?
- when activated, T helper cells stimulate the B cells to divide and become cells capable or producing antibodies
- they also enhance the activity of phagocytes
What do T killer cells do?
- T killer cells destroy any cells with antigens on their surface membrane that are recognised as foreign or ‘non-self’
- this includes body cells infected with pathogens
- (unfortunately) it also includes tissues received as a transplant from another person
When does the primary immune response occur?
- the primary immune response occurs at first contact with the pathogen
What are the two main types of lymphocytes? What do they both respond to?
there are two main types of lymphocytes:
- B cells
- T cells
- both types respond to antigens. proteins and other chemicals that are ‘foreign’
What is clonal selection?
- clonal selection is the process of B cell division
What do the B cells divide to produce?
- the B cells divide to produce two clones of cells
- B effector cells
- B memory cells
What do B effector cells differentiate to produce?
- B effector cells differentiate to produce plasma cells, which release antibodies into the blood and lymph
- these plasma cells are relatively short-lived, lasting only a few days
What are B memory cells? How long do they remain in the body for? What does this enable?
- b memory cells are longer-lived
- they remain in the body for months or years
- enabling an individual to respond more quickly to the same antigen in the future
What is the specific immune response? When does the specific immune response happen? What is it an attack on? What two cells does it involve?
- the specific immune response is the response by lymphocytes
- the specific immune response happens after the non-specific response and is an attack aimed at a particular antigen
- it involved the activation of two types of immune cells: T lymphocyte cells and B lymphocyte cells
What are lymphocytes? What do they help to do? Where do they circulate?
- lymphocytes are white blood cells that help to defend the body against specific disease
- they circulate in the blood and lymph. and gather in large numbers at the site on infection
