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MD2002 > Innate Immunity > Flashcards

Flashcards in Innate Immunity Deck (33)
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1
Q

what are routes of entry for pathogens through mucosal surfaces?

A
  • airway
  • GI
    tract
  • GU
2
Q

what are routes of entry for pathogens through external epithelia?

A
  • external surface (skin)
  • wounds and abrasions
  • insect bites
3
Q

what pathogen causes meningococcal meningitis?

A

neisseria meningiditis

4
Q

what pathogen causes syphilis?

A

treponoma pallidum

5
Q

what pathogen causes athlete’s foot?

A

tinea pedis

6
Q

what are the phases of innate immunity?

A
  • infection
  • recognition by preformed nonspecific effectors
  • removal of infectious agent
  • 0-4 hours
7
Q

what are the phases of early induced response?

A
  • infection
  • recruitment of effector cells
  • recognition and activation
  • removal of infectious agent
  • 4-96 hours
8
Q

what are the phases of adaptive immune response?

A
  • infection
  • transport of antigen to lymphoid organs
  • recognition by naive B and T cells
  • clonal expansion of effector cells
  • removal of infectious agents
  • > 96 hours
9
Q

what are some mechanical barriers to infection?

A
  • tight junctions between cells
  • air and fluid flow across epithelium
  • movement of mucus by cilia
10
Q

what are some chemical barriers to infection?

A
  • fatty acids on skin
  • enzymes: lysozyme in saliva, swear and tears
  • low pH in stomach
  • antibacterial peptides: defensins (skin and gut), cryptidins (gut)
11
Q

what are some microbiological barriers to infection?

A

normal flora compete for nutrients and attachment (biofilms), and also produce antibacterial substances (colicins)

12
Q

what are monocytes?

A
  • 1 of 3 types of phagocytic cell of immune system
  • circulate in bloodstream
  • differentiate into macrophages in tissue
13
Q

what is the role of a macrophage?

A
  • phagocytosis and killing of microorganisms

- activation of T cells and initiation of immune response

14
Q

what are examples of granulocytes?

A
  • neutrophils
  • eosinophils
  • basophils
15
Q

what is an alternate name for granulocytes?

A

polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes - due to shape of nuclei

16
Q

what is the role of a neutrophil?

A
  • phagocytosis and killing of microorganisms

- most numerous and important cell of innate immunity

17
Q

what does a deficiency of neutrophils lead to?

A

overwhelming bacterial infections

18
Q

what is the role of an eosinophil?

A
  • killing of antibody-coated parasites through release of granule contents
  • important in parasite defence
19
Q

what is the function of a mast cell?

A
  • expulsion of parasites from body through release of granules containing histamine and other active agents
  • well known due to IgE mediated triggering in allergies
  • effect vascular systems
20
Q

what is the role of a basophil?

A

function similar and complementary to eosinophils and mast cells

21
Q

what are lymphocytes?

A
  • B or T cells
  • B cells produce antibody
  • T cells becoming cytotoxic cells (CD8) or helper cells (CD4)
22
Q

what are natural killer (NK) cells?

A
  • large granular lymphocytes

- can recognise virally infected cells non-specifically

23
Q

what are dendritic cells?

A
  • potentially the most important immune cell
  • bridges innate and adaptive immune responses
  • specialised in antigen uptake and antigen presentation
24
Q

what is the difference between NK cells and T cells?

A
  • NK cells are not antigen specific

- don’t undergo length clonal expansion of T cells in lymph nodes when virus detected

25
Q

what is the role of the complement cascade?

A
  • part of immune system that enhances (complements) ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism
  • promotes inflammation (heat labile component of plasma)
  • attacks the pathogen’s plasma membrane
26
Q

what are the 3 activation pathways that trigger the complement cascade?

A
  • classical
  • lectin
  • alternative
27
Q

what is the first phase of the classical pathway of the complement cascade?

A

antibody binds to specific antigen on pathogen surface

28
Q

what is the first phase of the lectin pathway of the complement cascade?

A

mannose-binding protein binds to pathogen surface

29
Q

what is the first phase of the alternate pathway of the complement cascade?

A

pathogen surface creates local environment conducive to complement activation

30
Q

what are the results of complement activation?

A
  • recruitment of inflammatory cells
  • opsonisation of pathogens, facilitating uptake and killing by phagocytic cells
  • lysis and death of pathogens
31
Q

what is the classical pathway initiated by?

A

activation of C1 complex

32
Q

what is the lectin pathway activated by?

A
  • MBL

- MASP-1 and 2

33
Q

what is the alternative pathway activated by?

A

spontaneous hydrolysis of serum C3

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