Chapter 21: Immune System Flashcards
Adaptive defenses include…
Humoral immunity (B cells) and cellular immunity (T cells)
Includes surface barriers (skin, mucous membranes) and internal defenses (phagocytes, inflammation)
Innate defenses
Antibodies (Ab) are also called…
immunoglobulins (Igs)
Antibody structure
Consists of 4 polypeptides - 2 short “light chains” and 2 long “heavy chains” joined together by disulfide bonds.
When each chain forms an antibody it has…
One variable (V) region and a constant (C) region.
V regions of the heavy and light chains combine to form an _____ shaped to “fit” a specific antigenic determinant
Antigen-binding site
Must have an antibody specific for each _____
Antigen
The binding site on bacteria where the antibody can attach. “Lock and key”
Epitome
The 5 major immunoglobulins (Igs) classes:
GAMDE
IgM
The first Ig class secreted by plasma cells during the primary response. Exists as both a monomer and pentamer.
IgA
Found in body secretions such as saliva, sweat, intestinal juice, and milk
IgD
Found on the B cell surface
IgG
The most abundant antibody in plasma
IgE
Secreted within the mucous membrane and triggers cells to release histamine and other chemicals that mediate inflammation/allergic reaction
B cells
Oversee humoral immunity
T cells
Are non-antibody-producing lymphocytes that constitute the cellular arm of adaptive immunity
Macrophages
Widely distributed throughout the lymphoid organs and CT in search of foreign substances
Antigen-presenting cells
Macrophages and B cells
Engulf antigens and then present fragments of them, like signal flags, on their own surfaces where T cells can recognize them as MHC2
All nucleated cells have _____
MHC1 (major histocompatibility complex)
MHC proteins
Cell surface glycoproteins that identify a cell as self or “self-antigens”
T cells come in 2 different forms:
T-killer cells
T-helper cells
T-killer cells
Aka CD8 T cells, cytotoxic, recognizes MHC1/MHC2 on antigen presenting cells
T-helper cells
Secrete chemicals “cytokines” that help the activity of other immune cells. They are essential in B cell antibody class switching, in the activation and growth of cytotoxic T cells, and in maximizing bactericidal activity of phagocytes such as macrophages.
Natural killer cells (NKC)
Innate; like T killer cells however they recognize whether the cell carries MHC1 or not