Introduction to Blood and Immune Flashcards
(11 cards)
What are epitopes?
Epitopes are small regions of the antigen on the pathogen in which the antibody from the B cells can recogonise and bind to.
Describe innate immunity.
First line of defence, always deployed (active), fast, and non-specific. This includes the skin and mucous membranes (moist tissue lining that is NOT covered by skin), secretions, gut, respiratory system.
How do pathogens enter the body?
Pathogens enter the body by breaking into the first line of defence, which includes touching, breathing and eating pathogens.
How does the second line of defence start to act?
Damaged cells such as mast cells will release a chemical signal called histamine. Histamine will cause the blood vessels to vasodialite, meaning the bloodvessles become more leaky, fluid and permeable. This allows immune cells to travel to the wound more easily. Inflammation occurs due to the movement of immune cells.
Where do B and T cells mature and develop?
B cells mature and develop in the bone marrow but T cells develop in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus.
What is clonal expansion?
Clonal expansion refers to activation of lymphocytes (B and T cells) to make multiple clones of it self which mediate adaptive immunity.
Difference between antibody test and serosurvey.
Antibody test in an individual provides data on a single persons
infection or vaccine history wheras a serosurvey is the collection and testing of blood from a defined
population to estimate the prevalence of antibodies against an
infectious pathogen as an indicator of exposure.
Explain how wounds get inflamed?
Inflammation occurs during the second part of the innate defence where after the pathogen breaks through the first line of defence, damaged cells will release a chemical signal called histamine. Histamine will cause the blood vessels to vasodialite, meaning the bloodvessles become more leaky, fluid and permeable. This allows immune cells to travel to the wound more easily. Inflammation occurs due to the movement of immune cells.
What are the different types of phagocytes?
Neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages.
How do phagocytes eat and digest bacteria?
Phagocytes (neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages) regonise the bacteria through receptors and then engulf the pathogen into a vesicle called phagosome. The phagosome infuses with the lysosome, and inside the lysosome reactions occurs where the bacteria is now killed. The excess will be now expelled.
