2C-Cells and the immune system Flashcards
What are antigens ?
The immune system
Molecules, usually proteins, found on the surface of the cell that can generate an immune response when detected by the body.
What’s an antibody ?
The immune system
A protein that’s specific to an antigen. They’re secreted by plasma cells
What are antibodies made of ?
The immune system
2 light and 2 heavy polypeptide chains. which are joined by disulphide bridges. Each antibody has 2 identical binding sites at the variable region. The variable region is determined by the sequence of amino acids. The constant region is the binding site for receptors.
What do immune system cells identify ?
The immune system
pathogens, abnormal body cells, toxins and cells from different organisms of the same species.
What are pathogens ?
The immune system
organisms that cause disease.
What’s the four steps in an immune response ?
The immune system
1.Phagocytosis
2. T-cells
3. B-cells
4.plasma cells
What’s a phagocyte ?
The immune system
A type pf white blood cell that carries out phagocytosis
What’s the first stage of an immune response ?
The immune system
phagocytosis:
1.A phagocyte recognises the foreign antigens on a pathogen.
2. The cytoplasm of the phagocyte moves around the pathogen, engulfing it.
3. The pathogen is now contained in a phagosome.
4.A lysosome containing hydrolytic enzymes fuses with the phagosome and forms a phagolysosome.
5. The enzymes hydrolyse the pathogen.
6. The phagocyte presents the pathogens antigens - sticking them on its surface to activate other immune cells.
How is a T-cell activated ?
The immune system
It has receptor proteins on its surface that bind to the complimentary antigens presented to it by phagocytes. This activates the T-cell.
What are two types of T-cells ?
The immune system
helper T-cells (TH cells)
cytotoxic T-cells (Tc cells)
What’s the role of helper T-cells ?
The immune system
They release chemical signals that activate and stimulate phagocytes and cytotoxic T-cells
They also help activate b-cells, which secrete antibodies.
What is the role of cytotoxic T-cells ?
The immune system
Kill abnormal and foreign cells.
Make holes in the cell surface membrane using perforins, this makes the cell membrane become freely permeable and the cell dies
What is the role of B-cells ?
The immune system
When the antibody on the b-cells’ surface meets a complimentary antigen it binds. This and the substances released from the T-cells activates the B-cell: clonal selection. Activated T-cells then divide into plasma cells: clonal expansion.
What’s the role of plasma cells ?
The immune system
They’re identical clones of B-cells, they secrete lots of antibodies monoclonal antibodies specific to the antigen. They bind to the antigens on the pathogens surface and form lots of antigen-antibody complexes. Antibodies have 2 binding sites meaning they can bind to 2 pathogens at once, meaning that pathogens clump together - agglutination. Phagocytes then bind to the antibodies and phagocytose many pathogens at once, leading to the destruction of the antigen carrying pathogens.
What forms the cellular response ?
The immune system
T-cells and phagocytes
What forms the humoral response ?
The immune system
B-cells, clonal selection and the prodction of monoclonal anitbodies.
What is the primary response of the immune system ?
The immune system
When an antibody enters the body for the first time it triggers an immune response:
The response is slow because there are limited numbers of B-cells that produce the anitbody.
Eventually the body will produce enough correct antibodies to overcome the infection. Meanwhile the infected person will develop syptoms. After being exosed to an anitgen, both T-cells and B-cells produce memory cells which remian in the body for a long time.
Memory T-cells remember the specifc antigen and will recognise it a second time round.
Memory B-cells remember the antibdoes needed to bind to the anitgen.
The person is now immune and their immune system will reponse quicly to a second infection.
