Module 1: Introduction to the Immune System

Question 1

Funtions of immune system

Answer 1

-discriminate and eliminate

Question 2

Dysfunctions of immune system

Answer 2

-autoimmunity, hypersensitivity and immunodeficiency

Question 3

Antigen definition

Answer 3

-foreign protein that includes an immune response

Question 4

Antibody definition

Answer 4

-protein that is produced in response to, and countering, a specific antigen

Question 5

Organization of the immune system

Answer 5

-lymphatic
-circulatory system
-immune system

Question 6

Lymphatic system

Answer 6

-network of vessels that drains fluid (called lymph)

Question 7

Circulatory system

Answer 7

-where lymph comes from and goes after being filtered

Question 8

Immune system

Answer 8

-cells of the immune system travel between circulatory and lymphatic

Question 9

Lymphoid organs and tissues

Answer 9

-bone marrow (made up of red and yellow marrow)

Question 10

Bone marrow function

Answer 10

-filled w hematopoetic cells

Question 11

Red marrow function

Answer 11

-site of hematopoesis
-site of b cell development

Question 12

Yellow marrow function

Answer 12

-some leukocyte development
-produces fat and cartilage

Question 13

Lymph nodes

Answer 13

-filters lymph, often first structure that foreign molecules encounter

Question 14

MALT

Answer 14

-found at mucous membranes lining the digestive, respiratory and urogenital systems
-initiates immune responses to specific antigens encountered alone all mucosal surfaces

Question 15

Spleen

Answer 15

-red pulp: filters the blood
-white pulp: site of development of immune responses against antigens found in the blood stream

Question 16

Thymus

Answer 16

-site of t cell development and maturation

Question 17

Branches of the immune system

Answer 17

-innate immune system
-adaptive immune system (humoural and cell-mediated)

Question 18

Innate immunity

Answer 18

-1st line of defence
-physical soluble and cellular barriers
-min-hours
-recognize general patterns and not any one antigen

Question 19

Adaptive immunity

Answer 19

-humoural (b cells) and cell mediated (t cells)
-takes days
-recognizes specific antigens
-results in immunological memory

Question 20

Anebocyte

Answer 20

-oldest type of cell and is believed to have given rise to the phagocyte

Question 21

Evolution of innate immunity

Answer 21

-found in vertebrates, invertebrates & plants
-fruit fly is often studied

Question 22

Evolution of adaptive immunity

Answer 22

-only found in animals with a backbone, only more complex animals have a well developed system

Question 23

Origin of immune cells

Answer 23

-every immune cell comes from pluripotent hematopoetic stem cells from the fetal liver and bone marrow

Question 24

Hematopoetic stem cell

Answer 24

-self renewal: ability to divide itself and replace older cells
-pluripotent: ability to differentiate into several cell types, once a stem cell commits to its lineage it loses this ability

Question 25

Myeloid progenitor (innate)

Answer 25

-granulocyte -> neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, mast cell -monocyte -> macrophage -erythrocyte (red blood cell) -thrombocyte (platelet)

Question 26

Lymphoid progenitor (adaptive)

Answer 26

-B cell -> plasmocyte, memory B cell -T cell -> helper T cell, cytotoxic T cell, memory T cell -natural killer cells (innate)

Question 27

Dendritic cells

Answer 27

-can arise from myeloid and lymphoid and are part of both innate and adaptive immunity -capture and engluf antigens and present them to adaptive immune cells -most common are lagerhans DC

Question 28

Bacteria

Answer 28

-unicellular prokaryotic organisms that have no organized internal membranous structures

Question 29

Cholera

Answer 29

-bacterial infection -diarrheal illness -eating or drinking foods that are contaminated

Question 30

Viruses

Answer 30

-can infect a variety of organisms because they rely on the host cell for metabolism and reproduction, typically not considered organisms

Question 31

Influenza

Answer 31

-viral infection -fever, cough, sore throat etc

Question 32

Fungi

Answer 32

-reproduce mainly by forming spores, and most commonly cause infection on the skin or in the lungs

Question 33

Vaginal yeast infection

Answer 33

-fungal infection -genital itching -comes from an imbalance

Question 34

Protozoa

Answer 34

-unicellular, heterotrophic eukaryotes which are very capable of rapid and flexible movements

Question 35

Malaria

Answer 35

-protozoan infection -mosquito borne -fever, chills etc -only from female mosquitos

Question 36

Helminths

Answer 36

-parasitic worms which are simple invertebrates, some of which are infectious parasites

Question 37

Schistosomiasis

Answer 37

-caused by parasitic worms -inflammation, scarring, fever, chills etc

Question 38

Prions

Answer 38

-new class of disease causing agent -linked to degenerative disorders of the CNS -happens because of misfolding of a protein

Question 39

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Answer 39

-from prions -mad cow disease -originated from food fed to cows that contained sheep meat -aggressive behaviour, trouble balancing, weight loss etc

Question 40

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Answer 40

-most common from prions -exposure from infected individual or inheriting the gene -loss of muscle coordination, impaired memory and decision making

Question 41

Primary lymphoid organs

Answer 41

-thymus -bone marrow

Question 42

Secondary lymphoid organs

Answer 42

-spleen -lymph nodes -MALT

Question 43

Primary lymphoid organs function

Answer 43

-site of lymphocyte maturation -b-cell -> bone marrow -t-cell -> thymus

Question 44

Secondary lymphoid organs function

Answer 44

-site of lymphocyte activation into effector cell