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Biology AS > Immune System > Flashcards

Immune System Flashcards

1
Q

What are antigens?

A

Proteins on the surface of cells which generate an immune response when detected in the body

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2
Q

What type of cells do antigens identify?

A

Pathogens
Abnormal god cells
Toxins
Foreign cells from other individuals

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3
Q

What are pathogens?

A

Organisms which cause disease

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4
Q

What are phagocytes?

A

A type of white blood cell (macrophage) found in blood and tissues

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5
Q

What are the first cells to respond to an immune system trigger?

A

Phagocytes

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6
Q

Are phagocytes specific or non-specific?

A

Non-specific

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7
Q

What are antibodies?

A

Quaternary proteins which are produced in response to a specific antigen

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8
Q

What are lymphocytes?

A

Type of white blood cell (include T and B cells)

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9
Q

Are lymphocytes specific or non specific?

A

Specific

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10
Q

Where do T cells mature?

A

Thymus gland

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11
Q

Where do B cells mature?

A

Bone marrow

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12
Q

Which type of immune response involves B cells?

A

Humoral response

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13
Q

What type of immunity involves T cells?

A

Cell mediated immunity

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14
Q

What is the first stage of immune response?

A

Phagocytosis

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15
Q

Describe phagocytosis

A

Phagocyte recognises antigens on pathogen
Phagocytes cytoplasm surrounds and engulfs pathogen
Pathogen is contained in phagocytic vacuole
Phagocytic vacuole fuses with lysosome
Lysozymes break down pathogen
Phagocytes displays antigens on its surface to active other immune system cells

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16
Q

What is the second stage of immune system response?

A

Phagocytes activate T cells
T cells have receptor proteins which bind to complementary antigens presented by the phagocyte- this activates the T cell

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17
Q

What do helper T cells do?

A

Release chemical signals which activate and stimulate phagocytes, cytotoxic T cells and B cells

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18
Q

What do cytotoxic T cells do?

A

Kill abnormal and foreign cells

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19
Q

What is the 3rd step in the immune response?

A

T cells activate B cells

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20
Q

Describe how T cells activate B cells

A

Helper T cells release substances to activate the B cell
The B cell is fully activated when its antibodies (on its surface) bind to antigens
The B cells divide into plasma cells

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21
Q

What is the 4th stage of immune response?

A

B cells make antibodies

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22
Q

How are monoclonal antibodies made?

A

Plasma cells secrete antibodies specific to antigen

They bind to form antigen antibody complex

23
Q

What is agglutination? How many binding sites do antibodies have?

A

Pathogens clumped together by antibodies

2 binding sites

24
Q

How does agglutination speed up the immune system response?

A

Phagocytes can carry out phagocytosis on many pathogens at once

25
Q

What is primary immune response?

A

When an antigen enters the body for the first time and activates the immune system

26
Q

Why is primary immune response slow?

A

There aren’t plasma,cells which can produce specific antibodies to the antigen

27
Q

How does primary response lead to a quicker secondary response/immunity?

A

Memory T and B cells are produced and remain in the body

They produce specific antibodies to the antigen

28
Q

What do vaccines contain?

A

Dead or weak forms of pathogen

29
Q

How do vaccines provide immunity?

A

They contain antigens which cause the body to produce memory cells

30
Q

What is herd immunity?

A

When many individuals are immune from a disease so there are less people to catch it from- reduced occurrence of disease

31
Q

Why are injected vaccines likely to be more effective than oral vaccines?

A

Direct into blood stream

Tablets may be broken down by enzymes or too big to be absorbed into the blood

32
Q

Why are booster vaccines given?

A

To ensure memory cells are produced

33
Q

What is antigenic variation? Give an example

A 
Influenza (flu)
Mutation in pathogen gene 
change in shape of antibodies on surface
Memory cells d not recognise antigens
Body has to carry out primary response
34
Q

What is active immunity?

A

Immune system making its own antibodies

35
Q

What are the two types of active immunity?

A

Natural - immunity after catching a disease/exposure to antigen
Artificial - receiving a vaccine

36
Q

What are the two types of passive immunity?

A

Natural - babies receive antibodies from breast milk (colostrum)
Artificial - injected with somebody else’s antibodies for some diseases e.g. Tetanus

37
Q

What is passive immunity?

A

Receiving antibodies from a different organism

38
Q

Explain differ need between active and passive immunity

A

Active: body makes antibodies, requires exposure to antigen, takes time for immunity, memory cells produced, long term
Passive: antibodies received, no exposure to pathogen required, immediate, memory cells not produced, short term

39
Q

What are monoclonal antibodies?

A

Identical antibodies produced from a single group of genetically identical B cells/plasma cells

40
Q

Give two examples of the use of monoclonal antibodies in medicine

A 
Targeted medication 
Medical diagnosis (pregnancy test)
41
Q

What hormone is tested for in pregnancy tests?

A

hCG

42
Q

How do monoclonal antibodies treat cancer?

A

Cancer cells have tumour markers (antigens)
Monoclonal antibodies attached to drug
Binds only to cancer cells

43
Q

What are ELISA tests used for?

A

Medical diagnosis- see if antibodies are present for a certain antigen

44
Q

Explain a basic Elisa test

A

Antibody has enzyme attached to it
Enzyme reacts with substrate to produce a coloured product
Colour change shows presence of antigen/antibody

45
Q

Describe the ELISA test for HIV

A 
HIV antigen in bottom of well
Blood plasma added
Well is washed out
Secondary antibody with enzyme attached is added
Washed out
Colour Change - positive
46
Q

What is HIV? What does it lead to and when?

A

Human immunodeficiency virus - immune system deteriorates and eventually fails. Leads to AIDS when low levels of helper T cells

47
Q

What cells does HIV infect and use as host cells?

A

Helper T cells

48
Q

Describe the structure of HIV

A 
RNA 
Few proteins and enzymes, reverse transcriptase
Capsid 
Envelope
Attachment proteins
49
Q

Describe HIV replication

A

Attachment protein binds to receptor on Helper T cell
Capsid released into cell, releases RNA into cytoplasm
RNA acts as template, complementary strand of DNA made using reverse transcriptase
DNA is inserted into T cell DNA
Host cell enzymes make viral proteins and new HIV viruses

50
Q

How do antibiotics kill bacteria?

A

Interfere with metabolic reactions

Target enzymes and ribosomes

51
Q

Why do antibiotics only target bacterial cells and not human cells?

A

Bacterial cells contain different enzymes

52
Q

Why do antibiotics not work on viruses?

A

Viruses contain very little of own enzymes - use host cells enzymes
Cannot inhibit human enzymes

53
Q

There is no cure for HIV. How is HIV progression slowed down?

A

Antiviral drugs

Target virus specific enzymes (reverse transcriptase)

Biology AS (14 decks)

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