Introduction Flashcards
(33 cards)
Study of all aspects of the immune system; understanding the way by which animals gain protection from disease causing agents or pathogens; system through which infectious agents are identified
Immunology
Main goals of the immune system
To detect, recognize, and respond to harmful organisms and maintain resistance against infections
Protein produced in response to an antigen that binds specifically to it
Antibody (Ab)
Substance that reacts with an antibody; not all antigens induce antibody production
Antigen (Ag)
Immunity developed through exposure to an antigen, resulting in a specific and often long-term response
Adaptive (acquired) immunity
Technique from ancient China involving deliberate infection with smallpox scabs to induce immunity
Variolation
Who developed the first true vaccination using cowpox? Father of Immunology
Edward Jenner
What disease was the first true vaccination for?
Smallpox
Developed vaccines for fowl cholera, anthrax, and rabies using attenuated or inactivated organisms
Louis Pasteur
Principle behind it is that exposure to an avirulent strain stimulates immune memory that protects against future virulent infection
Vaccination
Who demonstrated that killed bacteria could be used as vaccines?
Daniel Salmon & Theobald Smith
(w/ Salmonella enterica)
3 lines of defense in immunity
1.) Physical barriers
2.) Innate immunity
3.) Acquired immunity
Physical barriers in immunity (7)
- intact skin
- mucous membranes
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- coughing
- sneezing
- urine flow
Rapid, non-specific immunity with no memory that responds to general microbial patterns
Innate immunity
Innate immune components (5)
- neutrophils
- macrophages
- natural killer cells
- complement proteins
- lysozyme
B-cell mediated immunity involving antibodies against extracellular invaders
Humoral immunity
Slow-developing but highly specific immune response with memory (includes vaccines)
Acquired immunity
T-cell mediated immunity targeting intracellular pathogens
Cell-mediated immunity
What are the phases of the primary immune response? (4)
1.) lag
2.) log (rise)
3.) plateau (stable)
4.) decline (antibody catabolism)
Stages of the adaptive immune response? (5)
1.) recognition
2.) activation
3.) effector
4.) decline
5.) memory
What can happen if the decline phase fails?
Cytokine storm, leading to excessive inflammation and severe disease
Lymphocytes that mature into plasma cells and produce antibodies (humoral immunity)
B cells
Lymphocytes involved in cell-mediated immunity
T cells
Types of T cells
helper and cytotoxic T cells
