3 Microbiology: Adaptive (Specific, Acquired) Immunity (not done) Flashcards
Adaptive immune responses are generated by what?
clonal selection of lymphocytes.
What is the adaptive immune response?
the response of antigen-specific lymphocytes to antigen, including the development of immunologic memory.
In the earliest stages of infection, innate responses do what?
predominate, but later the lymphocytes start to generate adaptive immune responses.
Adaptive immune responses display what four characteristic features?
Antigenic specificity
Diversity
Immunologic memory
Self/nonself recognition
Describe Antigenic specificity
Lymphocytes can distinguish subtle differences between two molecules that differ by only a single amino acid.
Describe Diversity
The immune system is capable of generating tremendous diversity in its recognition molecules, allowing it to specifically recognize billions of uniquely different structures on foreign antigens.
Describe Immunologic memory
Once a lymphocyte has recognized and responded to an antigen, it exhibits immunologic memory, ie, it also “remembers” the pathogen, and mounts a more effective and rapid response should the individual or animal become reinfected with the same pathogen at a later date.
Describe Self/nonself recognition
The immune system normally responds only to foreign antigens indicating that it is capable of self/nonself recognition.
What are antigens?
are substances capable of inducing a specific immune response.
An antigen is the initiator and driving force for all adaptive immune responses.
The immune system has evolved to do what?
to recognize antigens, destroy them and eliminate the source of their production—bacteria, virally infected cells, etc.
When antigen is eliminated, immune responses switch off.
Antigens are generally very large and complex, therefore they are not what?
they are not recognized in their entirety by lymphocytes.
Instead, both B and T lymphocytes recognize discrete sites on the antigen called antigenic determinants or epitopes.
What are Epitopes?
are the immunologically active regions on a complex antigen, the regions that actually bind to B cell receptors and antibodies or T cell receptors.
What is polyvalent?
A particular antigen can have several different epitopes
What is multivalent?
A particular antigen can have repeated epitopes
Why are Lymphocytes central to all adaptive immune responses?
they specifically recognize individual pathogens.
In addition to lymphocytes what also play an essential role in the adaptive immune response?
accessory cells such as antigen-presenting cells
Lymphocytes and accessory cells are localized and concentrated where?
in anatomically defined organs or tissues that constitute the lymphoid system.
Classification of Lymphoid Organs and Tissues is based on?
(1) the level to which they participate in the matu- ration of lymphocytes and
(2) provision of a suitable environment for the inter- action between foreign antigen and T and B lymphocytes.
Central [Primary] lymphoid organs regulate what?
regulate production and maturation of lymphocytes from lymphoid stem cells, ie, generate lymphocytes that are individually different to meet the threat posed to an animal by the large number of microbial pathogens, the concept being “one cell, one specificity.”
What are the Central [Primary] lymphoid organs of mammals?
Bone marrow, Thymus
What are the Central [Primary] lymphoid organs of avian?
Bursa of Fabricius, Thymus
Peripheral [Secondary] lymphoid organs provide what?
Provide the environment where ma- ture lymphocyte responses to foreign antigens are initiated and develop.
List the Peripheral [Secondary] lymphoid organs
Spleen
Lymph nodes
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue [MALT]
The spleen responds to what?
Responds to blood-borne antigens.