I1 - Intro to Immunology Flashcards Preview

Pathology > I1 - Intro to Immunology > Flashcards

Flashcards in I1 - Intro to Immunology Deck (70)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What is Immunology?

A

Study of physiological mechanisms that humans and other animals use to defend from invading organisms -Bacteria -Fungi -Viruses -Parasites -Toxins

2
Q

What is Edward Jenner (1790) known for?

A

Smallpox eradication. Developing Vaccination.

3
Q

When was smallpox eradicated?

A

1980

4
Q

What is Paul Ehrlich (1864-1915) known for?

A

Worked with Koch. Proposed concept of RECEPTORS (which we now know as antibodies) secreted by immune cells in response to foreign antigens (“magic bullets”). Developed anti-toxin (diphtheria) and haemolysis.

5
Q

What was elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916) known for?

A

Discovering phagocytosis (larvae of starfish, similar process to WBCs

6
Q

What are the stages of Phagocytosis? What is it?

A
  1. Chemotaxis and adherence of microbe to pahgocyte 2. Ingestion of microbe by phagocyte 3. Formation of a phagosome 4. Fusion od the phagosome with a lysosome = Phagolysosome 5. Digestion of microbe by enzymes 6.Formation of residual body containing indigestible material 7. Discharge of waste materials. Allows breaking up of molecules and education of immune cells
7
Q

What was Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet (1899-1985) known for?

A

Clonal selection theory to explain tolerance. Discovery of acquired immunological tolerance.

8
Q

What is tolerance?

A

When the immune system ignores a foreign body

9
Q

What were Benacerraf, Dausset and Snell known for?

A

Discovered genes regulating immune responses (now known as Major Histocompatibility Antigens MHC or HLA)

10
Q

What were Milstein, Jerne and Kohler known for?

A

Monocolonal antibodies. Many new monoclonal drugs: Perception (HER2), Remicade, Avastin. Humanised antibodies now transforming therapy for many diseases (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Macular Degeneration and Cancer)

11
Q

What does any immune response involve?

A
  • RECOGNITION of the pathogen - Mounting a REACTION against it to eliminate it
12
Q

What are the two types of immune response that defend against infection?

A

-NATURAL/INNATE (non-adaptive) immunity -ACQUIRED/SPECIFIC (adaptive) immunity

13
Q

What is an antigen?

A

Any molecule that binds to immunoglobulin or T Cell Receptor and MHC Molecules

14
Q

What are the genes that regulated immune responses?

A

MHC - Major Histocompatibility Antigens (called HLA - the Human Leukocyte Antigen - in humans)

15
Q

What is a pathogen?

A

A microorganisms that can cause disease

16
Q

What is an Antibody (Ab)

A

A Secreted Immunoglobulin (Ig)

17
Q

Define vaccination

A

Deliberate induction of protective immunity to a pathogen

18
Q

What are cytokines?

A

Soluble mediators of inflammation

19
Q

Define ‘Immunization’

A

The process by which a person is made able to resist infection

20
Q

How many stages can response to infection be divided into?

A

3 - The first 2 reply on activation of the innate immune system. Innate Immunity (immediate, 0-4hrs) Early Induced Response (early, 4-96hrs) Adaptive Immune Response (late, >96hrs)

21
Q

What are the stages of the immediate response (0-4hrs) to infection?

A

Infection Recognition by preformed, non specific effectors Removal of Infectious Agent

22
Q

What are the stages of the Early (4-96hrs) response to infection?

A

Infection Recognition of Microbial-associated molecular patterns Inflammation,recruitment and activation of effector cells Removal of Infectious Agent

23
Q

What are the stages of the Late (>96hrs) response to infection?

A

Infection Transport of antigen to lymphoid organs Recognition by naive B and T cells Clonal Expansion and differentiation to effector cells Removal of infectious agent

24
Q

What is adaptive immunity?

A

This occurs later and results in the clonal expansion of antigen-specific lymphocytes

25
Q

What are the features of the innate immune response?

A

Rapid Non-specific First Line of Defence Not Enhanced by repeated exposure

26
Q

What are the features of the Adaptive Response?

A

Slow Specific Second Line of Defence Enhanced by Repeated Exposure

27
Q

What are the Stages of Infection and the protection at each stage?

A

Adherence to epithelium - Normal flora, Local Chemical Factors, Phagocytes (especially in lung) Local Infection, Penetration of Epithelium - Wound healing induced antimicrobial proteins and peptides, phagocytes and complement destroy invading microorganisms. Local Infection of Tissues - Complement, cytokines, cheekiness, Phagocytes, NK cells Activation of macrophages Dendritic cells migrate to lymph nodes to initiate adaptive immunity Adaptive Immunity - Infection cleared by specific antibody, T-cell dependent macrophage activation and cytotoxic T cells

28
Q

What are the natural BARRIERS to infection?

A

Skin, Mucosal epithelial surface of respiratory GI and Urogenital tracts

29
Q

What are the natural DEFENCES to infection?

A

Mechanical - Epithelial cells joined by tight junctions (skin,gut, lungs, eyes/nose) Longitudinal flow of air or fluid (skin gut), movement of mucous by cilia (lungs) Chemical - Fatty Acids (skin), Low pH, enzymes e.g. pepsin (gut), Antibacterial peptides (skin,gut,lungs), Salivary Enzymes e.g. lysozyme (Eyes, nose) Microbiological - Normal Flora (skin, gut)

30
Q

What barriers does Innate Immunity involve?

A

Non Specific immunity -Anatomic barriers (skin, mucous membranes) -Physiological barriers -Phagocytic Barriers (cells that eat invaders) e.g. dendritic cells and macrophages -Inflammatory barriers

31
Q

What immune system are the natural barriers and defences a part of?

A

The innate immune system

32
Q

What does adaptive immunity involve?

A

Specific Antigen Specificity Diversity Immunological Memory Self/nonself recognition

33
Q

How do the two immune responses interact?

A

Close syngergy between the two, ADAPTIVE greatly improves the efficiency of the INNATE response and the INNATE response setting the scene for activation of the ADAPTIVE response

34
Q

What cells are involved in the INNATE response

A

Mast cells

Dendritic cells

Natural Killer Cells

Complement Protein

Macrophage Granulocytes (Basophil,Eosinophil, Neutrophil)

Natural Killer T Cell

gammadelta T cell

35
Q

What cells are involved in the Adaptive Immune response?

A

B cell => antibodies T cell => CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell gammadelta T cell natural killer T cell

36
Q

What cells are involved in the innate and adaptive immune response?

A

Natural Killer T cells Gammadelta T cells

37
Q

What are the types of ADAPTIVE immunity?

A

Humoral Immunity : Immunity that is mediated by antibodies, can be transferred by serum to a non-immune recipient

Cell Mediated Immunity : Immune response in which antigen specific T cells dominate

38
Q

How are the cells of the immune system derived?

A

Haematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation

39
Q

What are NK cells, T and B cells and some dendritic cells derived from?

A

Common LYMPHOID progenitor cells

40
Q

What are dendritic cells, monocytes, neurtophils, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, platelets, erythrocytes all derived from?

A

Common MYELOID progenitor cell

41
Q

What stem cells are the cells of the immune system derived from?

A

Multipotent hemopoietic stem cells

42
Q

What are macrophages and osteoclasts derived from?

A

Monocytes

43
Q

What are Platelets derived from?

A

Megakaryocytes

44
Q

What are the components of blood?

A

PLASMA

Water - (92% weight)

Proteins - Albumins, globulins, fibrinogen, regulatory proteins

Other Solutes - electrolytes, nutrients, rest gases, waste products

BUFFY COAT - Important for clearing bacteria Platelets Leukocytes (Neut,MonoC, Lympho,Eosino,Baso) ERYTHROCYTES 4.3-6.3 million per cubic mm

45
Q

What are the key cellular components of the INNATE immune system?

A

Macrophages Dendritic Cells Granulocytes (Mast cells, eosinophils, basophils)

46
Q

What is a NEUTROPHIL?

A

Granulocyte (has cytoplasmic granules containing lytic enzymes and bactericidal substances) Polymorhonuclear

PHAGOCYTOSIS

SHORT life span (hours

VERY important at ‘clearing’ bacterial infections INNATE immunity First to arrive upon inflammation though chemotaxis

47
Q

What are MAST cells

A

EXPULSION OF PARASITES through GRANULE RELEASE -Histamine, leukotrienes, chemokines, cytokines Also involved in allergic responses Very potent, few in tissue, have a profound effect (^permeability for example)

48
Q

What are EOSINOPHILS

A

KILL AB-COATED PARASITES BY DEGRANULATION Involved in allergic inflammation Granulocytes DOUBLE LOBED nucleus Orange granules contain toxic compounds

49
Q

What are BASOPHILS?

A

Possibly ‘blood mast cells’ Kills cells Blue granules containing toxic inflammatory compounds Important in allergic reactions DEGRANULATION

50
Q

What are LYMPHOCYTES?

A

Many types important in both humoral and cell-mediated immunity

B-cells = produce ANTIBODIES

T-cells = Naive T cells, Cytotoxic T cells (Tc), Helper T Cells (Th) (CD4+ cells), Regulatory T Cells (Treg) -MEMORY CELLS Can migrate into tissue spaces and lymphoid organs, thereby serving as a bridge between parts of the immune system

Plasma Cell (in tissue): fully differentiated B cells, secretes Ab -Natural Killer Cells (5-10% lymphocytes): Kills tumour cells and virally infected cells, both innate and adaptive, antigen presentation

51
Q

Describe the action of B Cells

A

Each B cell expresses one specific type of antigen, the plasma cell will secrete the corresponding antibody which circulate in the serum and diffuse into tissues. Virus is neutralised and eliminated once coated with these antibodies. CLONAL EXPANSION into EFFECTOR CELLS (giving immune response e.g. plasma cells) and MEMORY CELLS.

52
Q

What are Monocytes?

A

Circulating precursors of macrophages in blood. PHAGOCYTOSIS and killing of microorganisms = activation of T cells and initiation of the immune response. Phagocytose then Present Antigen (APCs) Circulate for approx 8hrs

53
Q

What are the types of tissue-specific macrophages?

A

Alveolar Macrophages

Peritoneal Macrophages - Gut Kuppfer Cells

Liver Osteoclast - bone development and repair

Microglial cell - brain Histiocytes

54
Q

What are DENDRITIC CELLS?

A

Involved in ACTIVATION OF T CELLS and intimate adaptive immunity

Found mainly in Lymphoid tissue Epidermis covered in these

Function as APCs (antigen presenting cells)

MOST POTENT stimulator of T-cell response

55
Q

Who discovered Dendritic cells?

A

R Steinman (1943-2011), nobel prize in 2011

56
Q

What are the major groups of lymph tissues?

A

PRIMARY Lymph Tissues - where cells originate and mature SECONDARY Lymph Tissues - Where cells reside

57
Q

What are the PRIMARY lymph tissues?

A

Thymus - T cell education, get rid of those that react to self Bone Marrow

58
Q

What are the SECONDARY Lymph Tissues?

A

Spleen Appendix Lymph Vessels Lymph Nodes (eg. Adenoids, Tonsils, Peyer’s Patches in the small intestine)

59
Q

How does Innate Immunity lead to Acquired Immunity?

A

Once the antigen is captured, it matures and migrates to a lymphoid organ, activation and clonal expansion of B and T cells occurs. B cells release antibodies CTL helper and regulatory T cells recruit NK cells, Eosinophils and Macrophages.

60
Q

How are antigens presented to T cells?

A

Proteins (peptides) from INSIDE the cell are presented by MHC I molecules to Tc cells (VIRUS INFECTED CANCER CELL) Proteins (peptides) from OUTSIDE cells are presented by MHC II to Th cells (APCs) MHC I on almost all cells MHC II on specialised APCs

61
Q

What do we mean by Self/Non-self?

A

Self molecules (proteins, DNA, lipids, carbs) are found on our CsTsOs. Our immune system learns to NOT react to these. We have evolved mechanisms to specifically recognise bacterial and viral proteins/lipids and mount an immune response. Once recognised for a second time etc, a STRONGER response is mounted.

62
Q

Where to T cells originate?

A

Produced in bone marrow, mature in THYMUS

63
Q

Where to B cells originate?

A

Bone marrow, migrate to SPLEEN where they mature.

64
Q

What are some disorders of the immune system?

A

Hypersensitivity Reactions

Autoimmunity

Immunodeficiencies

Cancer

65
Q

What are hypersensitivity reactions?

A

Over-reaction of adaptive immune response to harmless antigens 4 Types (I-IV) Immune system cannot switch itself off eg.Asthma, Autoimmune disease, Arthus Reaction

66
Q

What is autoimmunity?

A

Misdirected adaptive immune response resulting from a loss of self-tolerance 3 Types (II,III,IV) eg. MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes

67
Q

What are immunodeficiencies?

A

Components of the immune system are either absent or defective Genetic or acquired aetiology (Malnutritions, Primary IDs)

68
Q

What is an example of immunosuppression?

A

Cancer Chemotherapy AIDS

69
Q

What is on the axis for homeostasis?

A

Viral Infection => Recovery Bacterial Infection => Tissue Repair (cannot control where toxic granules act, epithelial damage may occur)

70
Q

What can chronic inflammation cause?

A

Cancer Transplant Rejection Rheumatoid Arthritis IBD Celiac Disease