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BIOL 321 - CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY > Introduction to Immunology > Flashcards

Introduction to Immunology Flashcards

1
Q

What is clinical immunology?

A

The study of the function of the human immune system

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2
Q

What does an effective immune response involve? (general)

A

Recognition.

Specificity.

Response.

Memory.

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3
Q

What are the 4 classes of pathogens ? (+examples)

A

Viruses
e.g. SARS-CoV-2, influenza, poliovirus, HIV

Bacteria
e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Vibrio cholerae

Fungi
e.g. Candida albicans, Tinea corporis, Cryptococcus neoformans

Parasites
e.g. Trypanosoma, Leishmania, roundworms, tapeworms

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4
Q

How are pathogens recognised as non-self?

A

Due to posession of antigens

Macromolecules that are structurally different to those of human host

PAMPS
= pathogen associated molecular patterns

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5
Q

What are the (6) categories that make up the immune system?

A

Cells
= B , T, neutrophils, macrophages, ILCs, DCs

Molecules
= antibodies, complement proteins, cytokines, cell surface receptors

Primary lymphoid organs
= bone marrow, thymus

Secondary lymphoid organs
= lymph nodes, spleen

Peripheral Tissues

Systems
= circulatory, lymphaticsc

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6
Q

What are some cells that contribute to the immune system? (+ their roles)

A

Phagocytes
e.g. neutrophils, macrophages
= recognise, engluf and destroy microbes by phagocytosis

B cells
= differentiate into antibody-secreting plasma cells

T cells
= differentiate into cytotoxic T cells to kill virus infected host cells
= differentiate into helper T cells to assist B cell differentiation

Dendritic cells
= immune surveillance and activation
= collect and present foreign antigens to activate adaptive immune system

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7
Q

What are the types of Immune Responses?

A

Innate
= rapid first line of defence

Adaptive (acquired)
= specific, effective , memory

Humoral

Cell-mediated

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8
Q

Give an overview of the humoral and cell-mediated branches of the immune system?

A
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9
Q

What is the purpose of recognition molecules? (+ examples)

A

For the immune system to recognise pathogens

e.g. cell surface receptors, antibodies

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10
Q

How can recognition molecules be encoded? (+examples)

A

Encoded by normal genes inherited from parents (germ line)
= e.g. receptors of the innate immune response

Encoded by genes created during life by random DNA rearrangements
= e.g. B and T cell receptors and antibodies of the adaptive immune response

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11
Q

How does recognition operate?

A

Via signalling pathways

e.g. lymphocyte signalling

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12
Q

What (3) classes does innate immunity involve?

A

Physical Barriers (e.g. skin)

Chemical Barriers (e.g secretions)

Immune responses

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13
Q

What is an inflammatory response? (INNATE)

A

When immune cells, molecules and fluid are attracted to the site of infection

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14
Q

What do complement components do? (INNATE)

A

Bind to the surface of microbes

= causing their lysis

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15
Q

What do cell surface receptors recognise? (+where are they found)?

A

Found on cells like macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells

Recognise specific molecules on microbe surface
= PAMPs

Known as PRRs = pattern recognition receptors

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16
Q

What does binding of PAMPs trigger?

A

PAMPs bind to PRRs

= triggers response such as phagocytosis (macrophages) or killing (NK cells)

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17
Q

What does adaptive immunity rely on?

A

Recognition by cell surface receptors, B and T cell receptors

Randomly generated by DNA rearrangements during B and T cell development

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18
Q

What is clonal selection?

A

The binding of antigen to an individual B or T cell cell that then stimulates proliferation of that cell producing a population with identical antigen specificity.

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19
Q

What do only a small minority of BCR and TCRs do?

A

Bind to their specific antigens and go on to participate in immune responses.

Despite a huge diversity of BCR and TCRs being continuously produced.

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20
Q

What does activation of naive T cells result in?

A

The production of a range of different effector and memory T cells

(depending on the nature of the stimulating antigen)

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21
Q

Why do memory B / T cells persist after infection has subsided?

A

For a quicker / more effective adaptive response upon re-exposure to the same pathogen.

= underpins effectiveness of VACCINES

22
Q

Summarise Properties of Innate vs Adaptive Immunity

A

Properties:
Speed
Specificity
Diversity
Memory
Self / Non-self discrimination
Major cell types

23
Q

What is hematopoisesis?

A

How cells of the immune system are produced and develop.

24
Q

Where do the cells originate + progress?

A

From the hematopoetic stem cells in the bone marrow.

progress through various differentiation pathways, making choices + become progressively committed to becoming a particular type of immune cell

25
Q

Where does differentiation begin + where is it completed?

A

Begins in the bone marrow.

Can be completed in bone marrow or matured in the secondary lymphoid tissues / peripheral tissues.

26
Q

What is the thymus? What happens there?

A

It is a specialised immune organ.

This is where T cells mature before dispersal elsewhere.

27
Q

What are the primary lymphoid organs?

A

Bone marrow.

Thymus.

28
Q

What happens in the bone marrow?

A

B lymphocytes develop in contact with the stromal cells of bone marrow.

29
Q

What do stromal cells facilitate?

A

HSC proliferation.
Direct migration.
Stimulate differentiation.

30
Q

What happens in the Thymus?

A

T cells develop initially in the bone marrow BUT then migrate to the thymus to achieve full maturity.

31
Q

What does the microenvironment of the thymic cortex and medulla do?

A

Directs stepwise changes in thymocytes.

32
Q

What does TCR affinity of binding with MHC-peptides do?

A

Drives positive and negative selection.

33
Q

What are the secondary lymphoid organs?

What happens there?

A

Lymph nodes.

Spleen.

Where B cells and T cells encounter antigen , become activated , expand in numbers and differentiate into effector cells.

34
Q

What are lymph nodes? (+cells involved)

A

Highly organised bean-shaped structures packed with B cells, T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells.

35
Q

What do lymphatics do?

A

They bring antigens from tissues to the lymph nodes.

36
Q

What does the spleen do?

A

Performs a similar function as the lymph nodes against blood-borne pathogens.

= first line of defense against bloodborne pathogens

37
Q

What is the MALT - mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue?

A

A large, dispersed and important lymphoid tissue sited to protect vulnerable mucosal surfaces: gut, lungs, nasal passages.

38
Q

What is the structure / function relationship of Lymph nodes?

A

B / T cell activity is seperated into distinct MICROENVIRONMENTS
= B - cortex
= T - paracortex

Medulla
= contains macrophages and dendritic cells

Antigens
= enter via afferent vessel

Naive lymphocytes
= enter via HEV (high endothelial venule)
= lymphocytes exit via efferent vessel

39
Q

What is the structure / function relationship of the spleen?

A

RBCs
= compartmentalised in the red pulp

WBCs
= segregated in the white pulp

Marginal zone
= specialised region of macrophages and B cells that borders the white pulp

40
Q

What is the structure of antibodies?

A

Heavy Chain
= effector activity

Light Chain
= antigen binding

Hinge

41
Q

What are some examples of antibody types?

A

IgG (1-4)
IgD
IgE
IgA
IgM

42
Q

What is the CD (cluster of differentiation) system in B cell receptors?

A

Unified nomenclature for describing immune-associated surface molecules

43
Q

What do T cells need to be able bind an antigen?

A

Antigen must be presented by an APC - antigen presenting cell

e.g. macrophage, dendritic cell

44
Q

How does APC present antigen? What are the 2 classes, what do they require?

A

via a MHC - major histocompatibility

MHC Class I
= requires CD8 co-receptor

MHC Class II
= requires CD4 co-receptor

45
Q

What are cytokines?

A

Small protein messengers.

Used to send signals between immune cells and generate response by signal transduction

E.g. IL-1, TNF-alpha

46
Q

What characteristics do cytokines show? What can they initiate?

A

Redundancy.

Pleiotropy.

Synergy.

Antagonism.

= can initiate downstream signalling cascades.

47
Q

What are cytokines essential for? What can they cause in their target cells?

A

The proper function of the immune system.

= can cause differentiation, proliferation or apoptosis in their target cells.

48
Q

What are chemokines?

A

Similar to cytokines.

BUT = cause movement of target towards source of the chemokine

e.g. CCL1, CXCL2

49
Q

What are the 3 types of immune dysfunction? (+examples)

A

Overactive
= e.g. asthma, allergies, immunopathology

Misdirected
= e.g. autoimmune diseases

Unresponsiveness
= e.g. immunodeficiencies

50
Q

Give examples of immunological changes?

A

Malignant Cancer
= cancer not recognised as it is ‘self’

Organ Transplantation
= transplanted organ identified as foreign , ‘non-self’, will be rejected.

BIOL 321 - CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY (10 decks)

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