Theme 4 - 4a (T cell activation pt 1) Flashcards
what are the differences between the innate and adaptive immune system
- adaptive immune system changes in exposure to antigens
- the cells of adaptive immune system (B and T cells) recognise SPECIFIC antigens whereas cells of INNATE recognise PAMPs
- vaccines trigger response from the ADAPTIVE system as it has memory
what does PAMPs stand for
pathogen associated molecular patterns
what is the key cell of humoral immunity
how is it different to cell mediated immunity?
B cells (producing antibodies- soluble factors that circulate blood and can enter mucosal tissues)
cell mediated immunity uses direct secretion of CYTOKINES and uses cell cell contact
what is adaptive immunity
an immune response that becomes MORE POWERFUL following repeated encounters with the same antigen
what are the 3 advantages of using HIGHLY SPECIFIC ANTIGEN receptors
1) pathogens that don’t have PAMPs can be recognised
2) responses can be HIGHLY SPECIFIC for the pathogen
3) the SPECIFICITY of the response allows for IMMUNOLOGICAL MEMORY
what are the 2 ways specific immunity can be achieved?
1) natural exposure eg chickenpox
2) or ARTIFICIALLY via VACCINATION
what microbe does humoral immunity target
extracellular microbes
what are the responding lymphocytes in humoral immunity
B lymphocytes
what is the effector mechanism of humoral immunity
secreted antidbody
what is the function of humoral immunity
block infecions and eliminate extracellular microbes
what are the micorbes targeted in cell mediated immunity
- phagocytosed microbes in MACROPHAGES
- INTRACELLULAR microbes eg viruses replicating within infected cell
what are the responding lymphocytes in cell mediated immunity
- Helper T lymphocytes
- Cytotoxic T lymphocytes
what is the effector mechanism of cell mediated immunity
- activated macrophages and killing the infected cell (cytotoxic T cells)
what is the function of cell mediated immunity
- eliminate phagocytosed microbes
- kill infected cells and eliminate reservoirs of infection
what is produced in humoral immunity
- the production of ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC antibodies by B cells
what is produced in cell-mediated (T cell mediated) immunity
generation of ANTIGEN SPECIFIC cytotoxic T cells also known as CTL (cytotoxic T lymphocytes)
how does humoral immunity req to help it
req CD4+ T cells to help activate B cells, induce memory and antibody production
T cell mediated immunity is what
also referred to as cell mediated immunity but it also includes NK cells and macrophages
why is it v important that T cell activation is highly regulated
to prevent INFLAMMATORY DISEASE and AUTOIMMUNITY eg rheumatoid arthiritis
what kind of foreign organism/particle etc may enter the body, but that we DO NOT want to have an immune response to
- dust/particles in the air (we should not respond to it due to the sheer amount)
- natural MICROBIOTA (responding to this may cause inflammation in the GI tract)
- food (we dont want to respond to this)
where does T cell maturation and selection occur
what does positive selection ensure
iin the thymus, where only self Ag is present
- positive selection ensures ADEQUATE RECOGNITION of MHC presented Ags
what are the 4 possible fates of an immature T cell
1) it becomes able to WEAKLY recognise class I MHC and peptide O becomes a mature CD8+ T cell (it is POSITIVELY SELECTED)
2) it becomes able to WEAKLY recognise class II MHC and peptide O becomes a mature CD8+ T cell (it is positively selected)
3) it is UNABLE to recognise MHC and peptide (failur eof positive selection, dies by APOPTOSIS)
4) STRONG recognition of either MHC class I or II and peptide O it is NEGATIVELY selected and dies via APOPTOSIS
what is central tolerance
why is it called ‘central’ tolerance
a process of negative selction whereby any T cells that SELF RECOGNISE or are not able to recognise ANYTHING die by apoptosis
- it occurs in the CENTRAL LYMPHOID ORGANS
what is a naive T cell
- have not been stimulated by ANTIGEN since leaving the thymus
- circulate blood and lymph nodes
what is an effector T cell
what are they derived from
are they long/short lived
have specialised functions e.g. secretion of cytokines or lysis of target cells
- effector cells derive from naïve or memory cells
- are short-lived, in an activated state but require further stimulation for full function
what is a MEMORY T cell
are they long or short lived
- have had antigen presented to them & return to resting state
- are usually long-lived and can be subsequently reactivate
where do naive T lymphocytes migrate
preferentially to the peripheral lymph nodes
where do activated/effector T lymphocytes migrate
preferentially to inflamed tissues
where do memory T lymphocytes migrate
heterogenous: one subset to lymph node, one subset to mucosa and inflamed tissues
what is the frequency of naive T cells responsive to a paticular antigen
v low