Innate and Adaptive Immunity Flashcards
(199 cards)
When are the bodies basic defences active?
At all times
What are the kind of basic defences of the body?
- Mechanical
- Chemical
- Microbiological
Where are the main points of defence in the body?
- Skin
- Gut
- Lungs
- Eyes/nose
What are the mechanical defences of the body?
- Epithelial cells joined by tight junctions at the skin, gut, lungs and eyes/nose
- Longitudinal flow of air or fluid in the skin and gut
- Movement of mucus by cells in the lungs
- Tears and nasal cilia in the eyes/nose
What are the chemical defences of the body?
- Fatty acids in skin
- Low pH and enzymes (including pepsin) in the gut
- Enzymes (lysozymes) in tears
- Antibacterial peptides in the skin, gut, and lungs
What are the microbiological defences of the body?
Normal flora in the skin and gut
What are the three most important basic defences in the body?
- Epithelia
- Antibacterial peptides
- Enzymes
What is innate immunity?
The body’s first line of immune protection to infection after physical barriers such as the skin have been broken
What are the characteristics of innate immunity?
- Rapid
- Pre-existing
- Lacks specificity and memory
What does innate immunity act in response to?
Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs)
Is adaptive immunity fixed?
No, it adapts to different challenges it faces
What are the characteristics of adaptive immunity?
- Slow
- Specific
- Has memory
- Increases in intensity with subsequent exposure
What are the types of immunity?
- Cellular
- Humoral
What cells are involved in innate cellular immunity?
- Neutrophils (or polymorphs)
- Macrophages
What are macrophages called when in the blood?
Monocytes
What do the cells of the innate cellular immune response do?
Phagocytose microbes in order to destroy them via intracellular killing
What is involved in innate humoral immunity?
- Complement system
- Cytokines
What does the complement system involve?
A cascade of serum proteins
What happens in the process of phagocytosis?
- Initially, the cells migrate to the area via a chemotactic gradient of molecules
- Phagocytes recognise their targets by binding to their PAMPs
- The pathogen is then internalised via phagocytosis, and the phagosomes is fused with a lysosome, where the killing of microbes takes place
What molecules from the chemotactic gradient that causes phagocytes to migrate to the required area?
- C5a
- Leukotrienes
- IL-8
What releases the chemotactic molecules that cause phagocytes to migrate to the required area?
Damaged cells, or the dendritic cells of the area
How is recognition of targets by phagocytes enhanced?
If the microbe has been opsonised
How are microbes opsonised?
Via IgG or C3b
Why is target recognition by phagocytes enhanced when the microbe has been opsonised?
As phagocytes have Fc and C3b receptors








