12 THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Question 1

What is the primary function of the immune system?

Answer 1

To identify anything in the body that shouldn’t be there and, if necessary, kill it.

Question 2

Name three components of the immune system that are often overlooked.

Answer 2

• Earwax
• Skin
• Tears

Question 3

What are the five types of white blood cells?

Answer 3

• Lymphocytes
• Monocytes
• Basophils
• Neutrophils
• Eosinophils

Question 4

What are the two principal types of lymphocytes?

Answer 4

• B cells
• T cells

Question 5

Where are B cells produced in humans?

Answer 5

In the bone marrow.

Question 6

What role does the thymus play in the immune system?

Answer 6

It is a nursery for T cells.

Question 7

What are the two further categories of T cells?

Answer 7

• Helper T cells
• Killer T cells

Question 8

What is the function of memory T cells?

Answer 8

To remember details of earlier invaders and coordinate a swift response upon re-exposure.

Question 9

Fill in the blank: Vaccination is a way of inducing the body to produce useful antibodies against a particular scourge without actually making oneself ______.

Answer 9

[sick]

Question 10

What is a cytokine storm?

Answer 10

A situation where the immune system gets ramped up and fires all its defenses, potentially leading to severe consequences.

Question 11

True or False: The immune system only deals with pathogens.

Answer 11

False.

Question 12

What is the significance of Peter Medawar’s discovery regarding skin grafts?

Answer 12

He found that the immune system learns early in life not to attack its own normal, healthy cells.

Question 13

Who was the first kidney transplant recipient?

Answer 13

Richard Herrick.

Question 14

What was unique about Richard Herrick’s kidney transplant?

Answer 14

He received the kidney from his identical twin, Ronald, allowing for a perfect tissue match.

Question 15

What can excessive inflammation lead to?

Answer 15

Destruction of neighboring tissues and unnecessary pain.

Question 16

What is the role of antibodies in the immune response?

Answer 16

To recognize and fight off previous invaders quickly.

Question 17

What does the term ‘autoimmune disease’ refer to?

Answer 17

Conditions where the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells.

Question 18

List two examples of autoimmune diseases.

Answer 18

• Multiple sclerosis
• Lupus

Question 19

What happens during inflammation in the body?

Answer 19

Blood vessels dilate, allowing more white blood cells to flow to the site of injury.

Question 20

Fill in the blank: Interleukin-1 not only attacks pathogens but also plays a role in ______.

Answer 20

[sleep]

Question 21

What is the estimated percentage of people suffering from autoimmune diseases?

Answer 21

About 5 percent.

Question 22

What did Jacques Miller discover about the thymus?

Answer 22

That it serves as a nursery for T cells.

Question 23

What is the main challenge faced by the immune system?

Answer 23

To identify and respond to a vast array of potential invaders.

Question 24

True or False: The immune system functions the same way in every individual.

Answer 24

False.

Question 25

What is the primary role of neutrophils?

Answer 25

To fight off infections and respond to injury.

Question 26

What type of immune cells are involved in producing antibodies?

Answer 26

B cells.

Question 27

What is the relationship between stress and the immune system?

Answer 27

Increased stress can lead to a higher likelihood of infection.

Question 28

What is the function of cytokines in the immune response?

Answer 28

To signal other immune cells and mediate the immune response.

Question 29

What was the distinct possibility regarding the outcome of the surgery on the Herrick brothers?

Answer 29

Both brothers might die.

Question 30

Who was the lead surgeon for the Herrick brothers' operation?

Answer 30

Dr. Joseph Murray.

Question 31

What was the original disease that affected Richard Herrick?

Answer 31

Glomerulonephritis.

Question 32

How long did Richard Herrick live after the transplant?

Answer 32

Eight years.

Question 33

How long did Ronald Herrick live after donating a kidney?

Answer 33

Fifty-six years.

Question 34

In what year was Dr. Joseph Murray awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine?

Answer 34

1990.

Question 35

What drug allowed kidney transplants to become more routine?

Answer 35

Cyclosporine.

Question 36

What percentage of people who receive an organ transplant in the US are alive twelve months later?

Answer 36

Over 95 percent.

Question 37

As of late 2018, how many people were on transplant waiting lists in the United States?

Answer 37

114,000 people.

Question 38

What is the average number of people who die daily on the transplant waiting list in the US?

Answer 38

Twenty people.

Question 39

What is one potential solution for the shortage of human organs for transplant?

Answer 39

Animal transplants.

Question 40

What are two main problems associated with using animal organs for transplants?

Answer 40

* Savage immune response * Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs)

Question 41

What is the average waiting time for a kidney transplant in the US as of 2021?

Answer 41

3.6 years.

Question 42

What percentage of kidney transplants come from living donors?

Answer 42

About a third.

Question 43

What are immunosuppressive drugs used for in transplant patients?

Answer 43

To prevent organ rejection.

Question 44

How many types of autoimmune diseases are humans afflicted by?

Answer 44

About fifty types.

Question 45

What did Burrill Crohn describe in 1932?

Answer 45

Crohn's disease.

Question 46

What was the prevalence of Crohn’s disease before 1932?

Answer 46

One in 50,000.

Question 47

What factor is suggested to have made people more susceptible to autoimmune diseases?

Answer 47

Overuse of antibiotics.

Question 48

What is the gender disparity in autoimmune diseases?

Answer 48

80 percent occur in women.

Question 49

What is the definition of an allergy?

Answer 49

An inappropriate response by the body to a normally harmless invader.

Question 50

What percentage of people claim to be allergic to at least one thing?

Answer 50

Roughly 50 percent.

Question 51

What term describes the condition of being allergic to multiple substances?

Answer 51

Atopy.

Question 52

What is the most common cause of anaphylaxis in America?

Answer 52

Penicillin.

Question 53

What did the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recommend regarding peanut allergies?

Answer 53

Expose young children to peanuts to minimize allergies.

Question 54

What is the hygiene hypothesis?

Answer 54

The idea that cleaner environments lead to increased allergies.

Question 55

What is the old friends hypothesis?

Answer 55

A broader version of the hygiene hypothesis focusing on accumulated lifestyle changes.

Question 56

What is immunotherapy?

Answer 56

Using the body’s immune defenses to fight diseases.

Question 57

What is immune checkpoint therapy?

Answer 57

A therapy that overrides stop signals sent by cancer cells to the immune system.

Question 58

What is CAR T-cell therapy?

Answer 58

A therapy involving genetically altering T cells to attack cancer cells.

Question 59

What is a major concern regarding CAR T-cell therapy?

Answer 59

Cost, which can exceed $500,000 per patient.

Question 60

What is the relationship between allergies and economic performance?

Answer 60

Allergy rates increase with higher economic performance.