The Specific Immune System Flashcards
(17 cards)
What are the two types of specific immune system?
Cell-mediated response
humoral or antibody-mediated response
What is the cell mediated response?
the cellular or cell-mediated
response involves highly-specialized cells that target pathogens inside cells. (Virus)
What is the antibody-mediated response?
the humoral or antibody-mediated response
targets pathogens in body fluids with antibodies.
What are antigens
They are specialised glycolipids and glycoproteins on the surface of cells used by the bodies’ cells to recognise a cell as ‘self’ or ‘foreign’.
What is the structure of an antibody like?
They have two light chains and two heavy chains.
These are split into the variable region which is different on each antibody, and teh constant region which is the same on each antibody.
They also contain (two) antigen binding sites
How do antibodies work?
Antibody-antigen complex acts similar to
the opsonin chemical, by stimulating the
digestion by phagocytosis.
Most pathogens cannot affect the bodies’
cells once they formed an
antibody-antigen complex
What is Agglutination
It is where one antibody binds to two pathogens, causing them to clump together
This makes pathogens more easily engulfed by phagocytosis
What is Neutralization?
Antibodies can act as antitoxins, binding
with toxins produced by pathogens
This makes them harmless
What are lymphocytes?
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell (leukocyte) found in the blood and lymph nodes.
What are the two types of lymphocytes?
B Lymphocytes – formed in bone marrow
T lymphocytes – form in the thymus
What are T helper cells
These cells produce interleukins, a type of cytokine. This stimulate B cell and antibody production, and attracts other T cells and antibodies.
What are T killer cells?
These kill pathogens by producing a chemical called perforin, which makes holes in
pathogens cell plasma membranes.
What are T memory cells?
These act as the immunological memory, as they remain in the blood for long periods of time. When a second infection occurs, they divide rapidly to form many killer T cells.
What are T regulator cells?
These prevent an autoimmune response by repressing the immune system after the all the pathogens have been destroyed.
What are Plasma cells?
These produce specific antibodies to an invading antigen. These only live for a few days but produce up to 2000 antibodies per second when active.
What are B effector cells?
these divide to form plasma cell clones.
What are B memory cells?
These remain in the blood for long periods of time, providing immunological memory. If infection occurs these reproduce rapidly and produce the same specific antigen.
