Topic 5: The Immune System Flashcards
What are the three strategies for defending against foreign organisms and molecules or cancer cells? (3)
- physical and chemical surface barriers
- internal cellular and chemical defenses
- immune response
What is the function of physical and chemical surface barriers?
nonspecific; keep foreign organisms or molecules out
What is the function of the internal cellular and chemical defenses?
nonspecific; attack any foreign organism or molecule that gets past the surface barriers
What is the function of immune response?
specific; destroy specific targets and remember them
What are the general functions of immunity? (3)
- defends against infection by viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc
- destroys and recycle worn-out cells (e.g., erythrocytes)
- identifies and destroys abnormal (cancer) cells
When doesn’t immunity work? (3)
- allergies - hypersensitive reaction to an allergen
- autoimmune diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus type 1)
- limits tissue/organ transplants
What are the types of immunity?
- innate
- acquired
How is innate immunity classified?
- non-specific
- inherited
- rapid
4, no rapid
How is acquired immunity classified?
- specific
- adaptive
- slower
- memory
What are our first line of defenses (nonspecific defense mechanisms)?
- skin
- mucous membranes
- secretions of skin and mucous membranes
What are our second line of defenses (nonspecific defense mechanisms)?
- phagocytic white blood cells
- antimicrobial proteins
- inflammatory response
What are our third line of defenses (specific defense mechanisms)?
- lymphocytes
- antibodies
What is the function of tears? (2)
- wash away irritating substances and microbes
- lysozymes kill many bacteria
What is the function of skin (3)?
- provides a physical barrier to the entrance of microbes
- acidic pH discourages the growth of organisms
- sweat and oil gland secretions kill many bacteria
What is the function of the large intestine?
normal bacterial inhabitants keep invaders in check
What is the function of saliva?
washes microbes from the teeth and mucous membranes of the mouth
What is the function of the respiratory tract? (2)
- mucus traps organisms
- cilia sweep away trapped organisms
What is the function of the stomach?
acid kills organisms
What is the function of the urinary bladder?
urine washes microbes from urethra
What is the function of phagocytes (WBCs)?
engulfs pathogens
What are the types of phagocytes?
- neutrophils
- macrophages
- dendritic cells
What is the function of neutrophils?
circulate in the blood looking for pathogens
What is the function of macrophages?
reside inside organs and tissues (e.g. spleen)
What is the function of dendritic cells?
stimulate development of adaptive immunity
What is the function of interferons?
slow viral reproduction
What is the function of small antimicrobial proteins? (2)
- attract macrophages and natural killer cells that destroy infected cells
- stimulate neighboring cells to make proteins that prevent the viruses from replicating
What is the process of phagocytosis?
- pseudopodia surround pathogens
- pathogens are engulfed by endocytosis
- vacuole forms
- vacuole and lysosome fuse
- pathogens destroyed
- debris from pathogens released
What is the function of inflammation?
destroys invaders and helps repair and restore damaged tissue
What are the symptoms of inflammation? (4)
- redness
- heat
- swelling
- pain
What happens during redness?
- mast cells release histamine, which causes blood vessels to dilate
- blood flow to the area increases, delivering defensive cells and removing dead cells and toxins
What happens during heat?
- temperature rises as a result of increased blood flow
- speeds healing and activities of defensive cells
What happens during swelling?
- histamine causes capillaries to become leaky, and fluid seeps into tissues
- fluid brings clotting factors, oxygen, and nutrients
What causes pain?
excess fluid, limits movement aiding in healing
What is the process of the complement system?
- activated complement proteins form holes in the cell wall and membrane of the bacterium
- the bacterium can no longer maintain a constant internal environment. water enters the cell
- the bacterium bursts
What is the process of the inflammatory response?
- histamines and cytokines released. capillaries dilate
- antimicrobial peptides enter tissue. Neutrophils are recruited
- Neutrophils digest pathogens and cell debris. Tissue heals
What is the lymphatic system?
a system of vessels containing a clear fluid, called lymph, and various tissues and organs located throughout the body
What are lymphatic capillaries?
microscopic, blind-ended tubules through which surplus tissue fluid enters the lymphatic system to be returned to the blood stream
What are lymph nodes?
swellings collected by lymphs at various locations