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Yr1 > Immuno/Microbiology > Flashcards

Immuno/Microbiology Flashcards

(65 cards)

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1
Q

What is innate immunity?

A

instinctive, non-specific and present from birth

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2
Q

What is adaptive immunity?

A

Specific, ‘acquired’ immunity which requires lymphocytes and antibodies

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3
Q

What are the polymorphonuclear luekocytes?

A

Neutrophils, eosinophils and basophil

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4
Q

What are the mononuclear leukocytes?

A

Monocyte, T-cells and B-cells

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5
Q

What are complements?

A

Group of serum proteins secreted by the liver that need to be activated to be functional.

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6
Q

What are the modes of action of complements?

A
  1. Direct lysis
  2. Attract more leukocytes to site of infection
  3. Coat-invading organisms
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7
Q

What are antibodies/

A

They bind specifically to antigens

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8
Q

What are immunoglobulins?

A

They are soluble, secreted and bound to B-cells as part of B-cell antigen receptor

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9
Q

What is IgG? (2)

A
  • Has 2 light chains and 1 heavy chain with a hinge region

- Most predominant Ig in human serum

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10
Q

What is IgM? (2)

A
  • Mainly found in blood as it is too big to cross endothelium
  • Mainly primary immune response
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11
Q

What is IgA?

A
  • Accounts for 15% of Ig in serum
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12
Q

What is IgE? (2)

A
  • Basophils and mast cells express a receptor with a high affinity for IgE
  • Associated with hypersensitivity allergic response
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13
Q

What is a cytokine?

A

A protein secreted by immune and non-immune cells

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14
Q

What is an interferon (IFN)?

A

Induce a state of anti-viral resistance in uninfected cells to reduce spread of infection

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15
Q

What are interleukins (IL)?

A

Produced by many cells and can be pro-inflam (IL1) or anti-inflam (IL-10). Cause cells to divide, differentiate and secrete factors

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16
Q

What are colony stimulating factors?

A

They direct the division and differentiation on bone marrow stem cells

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17
Q

What are TNFs?

A

They mediate inflammation and cytotoxic reactions

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18
Q

What does innate immunity include? (3)

A
  • Physical and chemical barriers
  • Neutrophils + macrophages
  • Blood proteins
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19
Q

What is the definition of inflammation?

A

A series of reactions that brings cells and molecules of the immune system to sites of damage

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20
Q

What are the two types of inflammation?

A
  • Acute - complete elimination of a pathogen, followed by resolution of damage
  • Chronic - persistent and unresolved
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21
Q

What do T-lymphocytes respond to?

A

Intracellular presented antigens

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22
Q

What does a T-cell receptor recognise?

A

foreign antigens in association with MHC

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23
Q

How does a B-cell get activated?

A
  • Binding to an antigen
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24
Q

What happens to B-cells that are activated? (2)

A
  • They go to the lymph nodes where they proliferate and differentiate into plasma cells
  • The plasma cells secrete antibodies of the same specificity
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25
What do antibodies do? (3)
- Neutrolise toxin by binding to it - Increase phagocytosis - Activate complement
26
What is the basic antibody structure? (2)
- Variable region which binds antigen | - Constant regions which is the same for some antibodies
27
Where are T-cells matured?
Thymus
28
What is cell-mediated immunity?
Involves T-cells which bind to receptors to produce cytokines that specifically kill infected host cells
29
What are T helper cells? (3)
- They help B-cells make antibodies - Activate macrophages and natural killer cells - Help development of cytotoxic T-cells
30
What are major histocompatibility proteins? (3)
- encoded by MHC chromosome 6 - also known as HLA molecules - polymorphic initiate T-cell response
31
What is the role of IL-1?
Induces inflammation, fever and activation of leukocytes
32
What is the role of IL-2?
Stimulates T, B and NK cell growth
33
What are TH1 cells?
They produce IL-2 and TNFbeta - They activate macrophages to cause inflammation - Promote production of cytotoxic T-cells
34
What is the issue with immunity?
- It can take a long time but infections arrive quickly and unpredictably - infection is often associated with injury
35
What are cell-associated PRRs? (2)
- Receptors that are present on the cell membrane or cytosol of the cells - Recognise a broad range of molecular patterns
36
What is the main group of PRRs?
TLRs
37
Which group of TLRs can have bacterial DNA as a ligand?
TLR9
38
What are NLRs?
They are a family of 22 human proteins that detect intracellular microbial pathogens
39
What is the role of NOD2?
It activates inflammatory signalling pathways. It is the non-functioning mutation in Crohn's Disease
40
What are RLRs?
They couple to cause activation of interferon production to give an anti-viral response. Rig-1 and MDA5 are two examples
41
What can activate TLRs?
The appearance of host molecules in unfamiliar contexts
42
How are PRRs relevant to disease?
They recognise host molecules in autoimmune disease. If there is a failure to recognise pathogens, then there is an increased inflammatory response
43
What is passive immunisation?
- The transfer of preformed antibodies | - Can be natural or artificial
44
What is artificial passive immunisation?
The treatment with pooled normal human IgG or the immunoserum against pathogens
45
What is the problem with passive immunisation?
It does not activate immunological memory so no long term protection
46
Which diseases are examples of where passive immunisation is used?
- Tetanus - Diptheria - Hepatitis - Measles - Rabies
47
What is active immunisation?
Where the immune system is manipulated to generate a protective response against pathogens
48
What is the process of active immunisation?
- Need to elicit "danger" signals which will activate the immune system - Engage TLR receptors - Activate specialist antigen presenting cells - Engage adaptive immune system (generate memory T and B cells)
49
What are the different responses of active immunisation?
- Initial response - this relies on innate immunity - Second exposure to antigen - Secondary response 0 does not rely on innate immune system
50
Influenza and immunological memory
- It has a rapid onset and the infection can be established before immunological memory is activated - Need to maintain high levels of neutralising antibody by repeated immunisation
51
Whole organism (activated) vaccine
- Advantages include the attenuated pathogen sets up a transient infection and gives prolonged contact with the immune system - Disadvantages include complications and immunocompromised patients may become infected
52
Whole inactivated pathogen vaccine
- Advantages include no risk of infection | Disadvantages include that generally just activates humoral responses and repeated booster vaccinations are required
53
What would be the ideal scenario for a vaccine?
- Should induce a suitable immune response - Generate T and B cell memory - Be stable and easy to transport - Should not require repeated boosting
54
Describe erythrocytes.
- Biconcave and anucleated | - produced in bone marrow
55
Describe neutrophils.
- Multi-lobular nucleus | - Phagocytic and play a role in inflammation and infection
56
Describe eosinophils.
- Bi/tri lobular nuclei | - Numbers generally raised in parasitic infections
57
Describe basophils.
- Associated with hypersensitivity reactions | - Similar role to mast cells (secrete histamine)
58
Why is the liver important in clotting?
- The liver synthesizes many coagulation factors | - Liver produces bile salts needed for Vit K absorption
59
What are the bacteria shapes?
- Cocci - Bacilli - Spirochaete (less common)
60
What colours are gram +ve and gram -ve?
- Gram positive = purple | - Gram negative = pink
61
What are 3 main gram positive bacilli?
- Listeria monocytogenes - Acne - C. difficile
62
What are 3 main gram negative cocci?
- Neisseria meningitidis - Gonhorrhoea - Moraxella catarrhalis
63
How would you treat candida albicans?
- Anti-fungal e.g. topical nystatin | - Oral fluconazole
64
How would you treat hookworm?
- Mebendazole
65
How would you treat giardia?
- Metronidazole

Yr1 (13 decks)

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