Immunology and Serology Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms in Immunology and Serology.

Immunization

The process of inducing immunity naturally or artificially by vaccination or administration of antibody

Immunoglobulins

A family of large protein molecules, also known as antibodies

Immunology

Area of biology that is concerned with the process by which all living organisms defend themselves against infection.

Immunity

Ability of an organism to recognize and defend itself against specific pathogen or antigens

Antigen

Any substance that, when introduced into the body, is recognized by the immune system

Antibody

A soluble protein molecule produced and secreted by B cells in response to an antigen, which is capable of binding to that specific antigen

Hybridoma

Hybrid cell created by fusing a B lymphocyte with a long-lived neoplastic plasma cell, or a T lymphocyte with a lymphoma cell, Secretes a single specific antibody

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA)

Proteins in markers of self used in histocompatibility testing. Some types also correlate with certain autoimmune diseases

Histocompatibility testing

A method of matching the self antigens (HLA) on the tissues of a transplant donor with those of the recipient. The closer the match, the better the chance that the transplant will take

Hematopoiesis

The formation and development of blood cells, usually takes place in the bone marrow

Helper T cells

Subset of T cells that typically carry the T4 marker and are essential for turning on antibody production, activating cytotoxic T cells, and initiating many other immune responses

Epitope

Unique shape or marker carried on an antigen's surface, which triggers a corresponding antibody response

Dendritic cells

White blood cells found in the spleen and other lymphoid organs. Dendritic cells typically use threadlike tentacles to enmesh antigen, which they present to T cells

Cytotoxic T cells

Subset of T lymphocytes that can kill body cells infected by viruses or transformed by cancer

Co-Stimulation

Delivery of a second signal from an antigen-presenting cell to a T cell. The second signal rescues the activated T cell from anergy, allowing it to produce the lymphokines necessary for the growth of additional T cells

B cells

Small white blood cells crucial to the immune defenses, derived from bone marrow and develop into plasma cells that are the source of antibodies

Lectin

A protein that binds to CHO

Carrier

Molecular weight over 10,000 Dalton, Almost always protein in nature

Antigenic Determinant/Epitope/Haptene

Portion recognized as foreign, Reacts specifically with an antibody receptor

Complete Antigen

With 2 parts Carrier and Haptene, Both Function are present (major and minor)

Incomplete Antigen

Either Carrier or Haptene, One Function is present (major or minor)

Agglutinogen

Involved in Agglutination Reaction, Particulate cellular Insoluble Antigens

Precipitinogen

Involve in Precipitation Reaction, Particulate cellular Soluble Antigens

MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX/HLA

Cluster of genes found in mammals, Its products play a Role in discriminating self from non-self

HAPTENS

Not antigenic, Must be coupled to a carrier molecule to be antigenic

Hinge Region

Area that gives molecule flexibility allowing for multiple binding sites

Papain

Enzyme that Splits the following fragments: 2 Fab capable of causing agglutination or precipitation reaction and 1 Fc carries no antibody activity but only biological activity

Pepsin

Enzyme that Results in F (ab)’2 – slightly different from Fab type fragments that not only retain the ability to bind with antigen but capable of causing agglutination or precipitation reaction

COMPLEMENT SYSTEM

System of plasma proteins which interacts to enhance host defense reactions and completes the process initiated by the interaction of antigen and antibody combination- lysis

Classical Pathway

Triggered enzyme cascade

Alternative Pathway

Initiated by foreign cell surface, antibody independent, and part of innate immunity

Lectin Pathway

Initiated by host proteins binding microbial surface, binds with mannose to initiate pathway

CYTOKINES

Chemical messengers that influence the activities of other cells, help in providing immunity.

Cytokine Storm

Life-threatening systemic inflammatory syndromes involving elevated levels of circulating cytokines and immune cell hyperactivation that can be triggered by various therapies, pathogens, cancers and autoimmune conditions

Chemotaxis

Process in which cells tend to move in certain direction under stimulation of chemical substances

SECONDARY HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE

Second exposure to the same antigen will trigger higher antibodies produce

PRIMARY HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE

First exposure to Ag, there is latent production approximately 5 to 15 days before antibody appears in the serum

HYPERSENSITIVITY

Results when foreign antigens induce cellular or antibody immune responses, leading to host tissue damage

LATEX AGGLUTINATION

Antibody molecules bound to latex beads will increase the potential number of exposed antigen-binding sites that bind to the latex bead thus forming visible cross-linked aggregates

COMPLIMENT FIXATION

System which completes the process initiated by the interaction of antigen and antibody combination- lysis

NEUTRALIZATION REACTIONS

Generally, positive control samples used in inhibition or neutralization tests show no reaction and negative control samples show a reaction (opposite of results in direct agglutination testing)

VIRAL NEUTRALIZATION

The ability of a virus to kill culture cells is neutralized when the virus is first mixed with antibodies against it

TOXIN-ANTITOXIN NEUTRALIZATION

Harmful effects of a bacterial exotoxin or virus are eliminated by a specific antibody

FLOCCULATION

Agglutination of colloidal particles

SYPHILIS

Sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum

Weil-Felix test

Serologic reaction used in detecting causes of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, determining the presence and type of Rickettsial infection with Proteus vulgaris

CANCER

Multigene disease which arises as a result of mutational and epigenetic changes coupled with activation of complex signaling networks

ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE AND ALDOLASE

Process which aids in liver cancer diagnosis

PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA)

Most commonly used test for screening for a common type of cancer

ONCOFETAL/CARCINOFETAL ANTIGENS

Normal in foetus or infants, but once evident in adults, it can be a sign of tumor

Beta 2 Macroglobulin

Tumor marker commonly found in protein

CA 72-4

Tumor marker which is a newer test for tumors located in the ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach

CA 19-9

Tumor marker which is best use to screen for pancreatic cancer

ONCOGENES

Derived from protooncogenes that may be activated by dominant mutations, insertions, deletions, translocations, or inversions

Hepatitis B and C

Virus which causes hepatocellular cancer

Ligands

Substances that complex to another substance measured by Affinity and Avidity

Affinity

Strength of binding between a single antigenic determinant and an individual antibody combining site

Avidity

Measure of the overall strength of binding of an antigen with many antigenic determinants and multivalent antibodies

Heterogenous

Requires physical separation of bound and free components

Agglutination

Process involves soluble antibody (agglutinin) forming a lattice with an insoluble (particulate or cellular) surface antigen

DIRECT AGGLUTINATION

Combination of an insoluble particulate antigen with its soluble antibody; used for antigen detection

REVERSE PASSIVE AGGLUTINATION TEST

Agglutination using the technique in which Antibody rather than antigen is attached to a carrier particle; used For the detection of microbial antigens

Coombs Test

Process to identify autoimmune haemolysis of red blood cells (erythrocytes)

Agglutination Inhibition Test

Pregnancy Testing is a classic example where Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) appears in serum and urine early in pregnancy

Precipitation Reactions

Technique involves combining soluble antigen with soluble antibody to produce insoluble complexes that are visible

RADIAL IMMUNODIFFUSION (MANCINI)

Type of Precipitation reaction wherein antibody is incorporated into the agar gel and different dilutions of the antigen are placed in holes punched into the agar

DOUBLE IMMUNODIFFUSION (OUCHTERLONY)

Type of Precipitation reaction wherein Antigen and antibody are allowed to diffuse towards each other in an agar medium (e.g. from separate wells cut in an agar plate or in a Petri dish)

LEPTOSPIROSIS

Process to detect presence of Abs for Leptospira interrogans and is a two-stage disease with stages known as Septicemic and Immunological

STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS

Disease where Untreated streptococcal pharyngitis may lead to rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis detected by ASO SLIDE LATEX, TUBE and STREPTOZYME tests

HEPATITIS A

Viral disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus and is found in water systems

Hepatitis B

Viral disease known as serum hepatitis with modes of transmission such as sexual contact, transfusion, perinatal

Hepatitis C

Viral disease known to be similar to Hepatitis B virus and has been seen with transmission via post transfusion reactions

Hepatitis D

Viral disease which is an incomplete virus whose infectivity is possible only in the presence of Hepatitis B

Hepatitis E

Viral disease with the modes of transmission same as Hepa A (fecal-oral) and most cases are documented in pregnant women

Western Blot Assay

Most widely used supplementary test for confirming reactive HIV ELISA Ab test. (+) If gp41 band appears alone or when an envelope Ab (gp41, gp120, or gp160) appears in combination with another HIV band

TOXOPLASMOSIS

Parasitic disease often associated with cats that affects warm blodded animals.

AMOEBIASIS

Parasitic disease with major pathogenic parasite Entamoeba histolytica

Rubella Virus

Caused by RNA virus that belongs to Togaviridae family