Topic 2-Cells Flashcards
(104 cards)
What are general non-specific defence mechanisms?
stomach acid, mucus membranes, skin ph and phagocytosis
What are the 2 specific defence mechanisms?
Cell mediated response (T cells) and humoral response (B cells)
what do all cells contain on their surface?
antigens
What are antigens?
Foreign molecules (proteins, glycoproteins or glycolipids) that induce an immune response leading to the production of antibodies.
why is there such a variety of antigens?
Many of them are proteins which means they have different tertiary structures
what types of things can lymphocytes identify by their antigens?
pathogens, non self cells, toxins and abnormal body cells
are specific lymphocytes produced in response to a pathogen?
no, youre born with around 10 billion lymphocytes so it is likely that one will be complementary
how and why are self cells recognised?
basically so your immune system doesnt eat you alive, this would be auto immune where it attacks its own cells. in the foetus the lymphocytes are colliding with self cells and the ones that are complementary to self cells will die or be surpressed
where are lymphocytes produced in adult cells
bone marrow
what happen if lymphocytes produced in the bone marrow are found to be complementary to self cells?
They undergo apoptosis, programmed cell death
how to reduce risk of transplant rejection?
immunosupressents and using a transplant from a closely related donor
what produces symptoms of autoimmune disease?
if the process of eliminating lymphocytes complementary to self cells doesnt work and some get left
what is clonal selection?
- when a lymphocyte gets infected (finds a complementary antigen) it gets stimulated to divide and make copies of itself, this is a bit time consuming and causes a delay between exposure and defence to the pathogen
do pathogens or lymphocytes mutate and divide faster?
pathogens!
what are pathogens?
bacteria, viruses, or other micro-organisms that can cause disease
what are non-specific defence mechanisms?
-Skin
-Mucus membranes
-Phagocytosis
how do specific defences differ from non specific defences?
what are the two specific defence mechanisms and the type of white blood cells involved?
- Cell mediated response involves T lymphocytes (remember T in cell mediated)
-Humoral response, B lymphocytes
what type of white blood cells involved in the humoral response?
B lymphocytes
what type of white blood cells are involved in the cell mediated response?
T lymphocytes
what function do both types of lymphocytes need to have?
Need to distinguish between self cells and non-self cells
are specific lymphocytes produced in response to an infection?
-No, you are born with 10 million types of lymphocytes, each is complementary to a different shaped antigen
-High likelihood that if you’re infected you have at least 1 lymphocyte that has the complementary receptor to that pathogen
what do lymphocytes in the immune system identify?
- Pathogens
- Non-self cells
- Toxins (released from pathogens)
- Abnormal body cells
what happens to lymphocytes in the foetus that collide with self cells?(because in the foetus they wont meet pathogens)
they either die, or are supressed