Unit 6 - Immune System Flashcards
3 major functions of immune system
- protect body
- remove dead/damaged tissues and cells
- recognize and remove abnormal cells
what are:
a) autoimmunity
b) allergies
c) immunodeficiency
a) incorrect responses
b) overactive responses
c) lack of response
what are pathogens?
disease-causing agents
bacteria characteristics
- cell surrounded by a cell membrane & usually a cell wall
- antibiotics
virus characteristics
- once inside host, what happens?
- what happens with new viral particles?
- intracellular pathogens
- not cells -> nucleic acid core with protein coat
- some have envelope derived from host cell membrane
- antivirals
- once inside host, virus nucleic acid takes over
- new viral particles can either rupture host cell or bud off from host cell
what are immune system organs called? why?
lymphoid organs because lymphocytes are found there
what are lymphoid organs connected by? what do they carry?
connected by blood vessels and lymph vessels
they carry lymph (clear fluid)
what is lymph? what does it do?
lymph is essentially ECF that has left capillaries & filter through tissue
it acts as a conduit for immunologically active cells to travel through
where are lymph nodes located?
strategic locations like:
- knee, groin, elbow, shoulder, neck
what are regions of the body outside lymphoid organs called?
periphery
primary lymphoid organs
- what happens here?
- what’s included?
- organs where lymphocytes develop
- bone marrow (all blood cells originate here)
B cells mature here - thymus; T cells mature here
(most active in childhood)
secondary lymphoid organs
- what happens here?
- what are the structures & functions (4)?
- organs where lymphocytes interact and initiate responses (spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils, and Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT))
- filter blood and lymph -> for pathogens & pathogen-containing lymphocytes
- afferent lymph vessel brings in lymphocytes from periphery
- efferent lymph vessel allows them to keep circulating
- pulp inside lymph nodes allows mixing of lymphocytes and other leukocytes
- arteries & veins (nutrients & O2) plus non-lymphatic leukocytes
secondary lymphoid organs:
- spleen and lymph nodes _________
- tonsils and GALT _________
- surrounded by a fibrous wall -> encapsulated
- unencapsulated -> diffuse
WBCs are ____ & ____ than RBCs
bigger & less numerous
what are the 6 types of leukocytes?
neutrophils
lymphocytes
monocytes (macrophages)
eosinophils
basophils (mast cells)
dendritic cells
granulocytes
- prominent cytoplasmic granules
- eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils
phagocytes
- can engulf and ingest pathogens
- neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells
cytotoxic cells
- kill other cells, even self-cells
- eosinophils & some lymphocytes (NK, Tc)
antigen-presenting cells (APCs)
- display fragments of pathogens on cell surface
- some lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages
eosinophils
cytotoxic granulocyte with bright pink staining granules
- defend against parasites & allergens
- not a lot in periphery, shortlived
- found in digestive tract, lungs, genital tract, skin
- respond by binding to an antibody-coated parasite and degranulate -> spew cytotoxic granule contents
- also degranulate in allergic responses
basophils
granulocytes involved in allergic responses
- have large dark blue staining granules
- in blood (rare), mast cells in tissue -> found in digestive tract, lungs, skin
- granules contain histamine, heparin, cytokines
- also degranulate in allergic responses
neutrophils
phagocytic granulocytes
- most abundant leukocyte
- live a few days, can eat a few bacteria
- can leave circulatory system to attack pathogens in tissues
- granules contain cytokines (fever, inflammation)
monocytes
precursor cells of tissue macrophages, uncommon in blood
- in blood for some hours -> move into tissue to be macrophages
- macrophages are large amoeboid cells, phagocytose old RBCs and dead neutrophils
- can eat a lot of bacteria
- in adaptive immune response (APCs - display antigens)
lymphocytes
very involved in acquired immunity
- around1/4 of leukocytes
- very little in circulation; most in secondary lymphoid tissues
- a LOT per individual
- they look the same microscopically but have different functions
dendritic cells
phagocytic APCs
- long thin process like neuron dendrites
- found in skin and other organs
- phagocytose pathogens, digest, present on surface
- “activated” cells then migrate to secondary lymphoid organs to present to lymphocytes
precursor to all blood cells?
pluripotent haematopoietic stem cells
types of lymphocytes (2)
B cells
T cells
B cells
- made and matured in bone marrow, NOT reason for name (chicken: Bursa, invagination of colon)
- make antibodies (on cell surface or free-floating)
T cells
- made in bone marrow, matured in thymus, IS reason for name
- use contact-dependent signalling via T-cell receptor on T cell membrane (can only bind to MHCs);
can NOT bind to free Ag
what does MHC stand for?
major histocompatibility complex