Lymphatic System
Network of organs and vein-like vessels that recover fluid, inspect it for disease agents, activate immune responses and return fluid back to the blood.
Where does the lymphatic system get the fluid?
Interstitial Space between cells. This is the fluid that wasn't reabsorbed by blood capillaries.
Lymphatic system has two uses:
Immunity -Excess filtered fluid picks up foreign cells and chemicals from tissues. Passes through lymph nodes where immune cells are.
Lipid absorption
Don't worry about this one as much
What is Lymph?
A clear, colorless fluid, similar to plasma but much less protein
What is the path of Lymph?
Interstitial Space
Lymphatic Capillaries
Lymphatic Vessels
Lymph Trunks
Collecting Ducts
Subclavian Veins
What are the three layers of Larger Lymphatic Vessels?
Tunica Interna: Endothelium
Tunica Media: Elastic Fibers, smooth muscle
Tunica Externa: Thin outer layer
What are the two collecting ducts?
Right Lymphatic Duct and the Thoracic Duct
Where does the Right lymphatic Duct receive from? Where does it empty?
Right arm, right side of head and right side of chest.
It empties in the Right Subclavian Vein
Where does the Thoracic Duct start? What is the name of the sac? Where does it receive from and empty?
The Thoracic Duct starts in the abdomen, and begins as a prominent sac called the cisterna chyli.
The Thoracic Duct receives from everywhere else in the body.
It empties into the Left Subclavian Vein.
Flow of Lymph
Lymph flows under similar forces to blood, at a much slower speed and pressure.
Lymph moves along RYTHMIC CONTRACTIONS of lymphatic vessels.
Others include skeletal muscle pump, arterial pulsation, thoracic pump.
Subclavian Veins and Lymph Return
The fast flowing blood in the Subclavian Veins draws the Lymph into it.
Lymphatic Cells include
Natural Killer Cells T Lymphocytes B Lymphocytes Macrophages Dendritic Cells Reticular Cells
Describe Natural Killer cells
Large lymphocytes that attack and destroy practically anything foreign it encounters (bacteria, infected/cancerous host cells)
Where do T Lymphocytes mature?
Thymus
What do B lymphocytes produce and where do they mature?
They produce antibodies. Mature in Bone marrow.
Describe Macrophages
Large, phagocytic cells that develop from Monocytes. Display antigenic fragments alerting immune system of presence of an enemy.
MACROPHAGES ARE APCs (Antigen-presenting cells)
Dendritic cells:
Branched, mobile APCs found in the epidermis, mucous membranes, and lymphatic organs; Alert immune system to pathogens that have breached their surface
Reticular cells
produce stroma that supports other cells in lymphoid organs
Lymphatic Tissue and Diffuse Lymphatic Tissue
Lymphoid (Lymphatic) Tissue
Aggregations of lymphocytes in mucous membranes
Diffuse Lymphatic Tissue
Lymphocytes are scattered
Found in body passages that are open to exterior
MALT (Mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue)
What are lymphatic nodules?
Dense masses of lymphocytes and macrophages that congregate in response to pathogens
This is a CONSTANT feature of lymph nodes, tonsils and appendix.
Lymphatic organs must have what?
They MUST have a connective tissue capsule
What are the primary lymphatic organs? What happens to T and B cells here?
Red bone marrow and Thymus
T and B cells become IMMUNOCOMPOTENT
What are the secondary lymphatic organs?
Lymph nodes, tonsils, and spleen
IMMUNOCOMPETENT cells populate these tissues.
Thymus' Fibrous capsule creates ______ on the surface?
Trabeculae (septa) that divide the gland into several lobes
Reticular epithelial cells seal off cortex from medulla forming __________?
Blood-thymus barrier
Medulla and Cortex
Medulla in Thymus has contact with the blood.
Cortex houses non-immunocompetent T lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes can cross blood-thymus barrier once they become immunocompetent.
What is the concave structure called on a Lymph Node?
Hilum
Lymph Nodes
Bean-shaped filters that cluster along the lymphatic vessels of the body. They function as a cleanser of lymph as wells as a site of T and B cell activation. It is enclosed in a fibrous sac.
Several ________ lymphatic vessels lead into the node at the convex surface.
Afferent (access to node)
Lymph leaves the node through _______ lymphatic vessels that leave at the hilum
Efferent (Exit)
Lymphadenitis/Lymphadenopathy
inflammation of the lymph glands/nodes
What is Metastatis?
-When cancer cells separate from a tumor, travel to other sites in the body, and establish new tumors.
Lodge in nodes, multiply and destroy the lymph node.
Three main sets of tonsils:
Palatine tonsils
Pair at posterior of oral cavity
Lingual tonsils
Pair at root of tongue
Pharyngeal tonsil(adenoids)
Single one at wall of nasopharynx
Spleen
the largest lymphatic organ in the body
Red pulp: Sinuses filled with RBC
White pulp: lymphocytes, macrophages surrounding small branches of splenic artery
Spleen Functions (Pulps)
GRAVEYARD
White pulp monitors blood for foreign antigens, keeps monocytes at the ready
Three Lines of Defense
Skin and mucous membranes
Several nonspecific defense mechanisms (Leukocytes and macrophages, antimicrobial proteins, NK cells, inflammation and fever)
The Immune system (memory)
Specific and Adaptive Immunity
Body must develop separate immunity to each new pathogen present
External Barriers (Skin and Mucous Membranes)
SKIN Microorganisms physically cannot enter the body
Acid Mantle: Sweat and sebum that prevent growth
Dermicidin, defensin, cathelicidins: Prevent bacterial growth
MUCOUS MEMBRANE Tracts that are open to the exterior
LYSOZYME: enxyme destroys bacterial cell walls
Five types of Neutrophils?
Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils, Monocytes, Lymphocytes
What is a phagocyte?
A cell that engulfs foreign matter
How and what do neutrophils kill?
Neutrophils are Anti-Bacterial
They use phagocytosis and digestion, and can also degranulate to create a killing zone of chemicals
How and what do eosinophils kill?
Eosinophils guard against parasites and allergens
The "call over" basophils and mast cells, and they PHAGOCYTIZE antigen-antibody complexes.
They limit action of histamine (reduces inflammation)
What do basophils do? What do Mast cells do?
Secrete chemicals that aid mobility and attract other leukocytes. MAST CELLS SECRETE THE SAME.
Leukotrienes - activates neutrophils and eosinophils
Histamine - Vasodilator, increase blood flow
Heparin - inhibits clots
What are the three types of lymphocytes listed by abundance?
T lymphocytes
B lymphocytes
Natural Killer cells (NK)
What is a macrophage?
A macrophage is a monocyte that leaves the blood and moves into the tissue.
2 Types:
Wandering: Actively seek pathogens
Fixed: Phagocytize when pathogens come to them Microglia - Brain macrophages Alveolar - Lung macrophages Hepatic - Liver macrophages
Two types of Antimicrobial Proteins?
Interferons and Complement system
Interferons
Secreted by cells infected by viruses
These alert surrounding cells to protect themselves
These proteins bind to the surrounding cells receptors
Interferons can also activate NK cells and macrophages
Four Steps of Natural Killer Cells killing a cell/bacteria/cancer?
NK releases perforins, forming a hole in plasma membrane
Granzymes enter hole and degrade enemy cell enzymes
Enemy cell dies
Macrophage engulfs dead cell
What are fever and inflammation?
Fever - Abnormal elevation of body temperature Inflammation - Local response to tissue injury
List the three general purposes of inflammation and the four cardinal signs:
PURPOSES:
Limits spread of pathogen
Removes debris from tissue
Initiates repair
CARDINAL SIGNS
Redness
Swelling
Heat
Pain
What is a chemotaxi?
Attraction to leukotriene and bradykinin to guide neutrohphils to the injury site
Tissue Cleanup and Repair
Role of monocytes/macrophages
Edema (compresses veins, limits venous drainage)
Secretion of growth factors stimulate fibroblast growth
Two characteristics that distinguish immunity from nonspecific resistance?
Specificity: Immunity is for specific pathogen Memory: Body reacts quickly when reexposed
Two types of Immunity:
Cellular (cell-mediated) immunity
Lymphocytes directly attack other cells
Humoral (antibody-mediated) immunity
Mediated by antibodies that don't directly destroy pathogen, but tag it for destruction
List the four ways someone can receive immunity:
Natural Active
Production of one's antibodies as result from infection
Artificial Active
Production of antibodies as result from vaccination
Natural Passive
Antibodies passed from another person (mother --> baby)
Artificial Passive
Antibodies from injection of immune serum
What two ways someone can receive immunity are permanent? Temporary?
Natural Active and Artificial Active are PERMANENT Natural Passive and Artificial Passive are TEMPORARY
What is an antigen? What is an epitope?
Antigen - any molecule that triggers an immune response
Epitopes - Region of an antigen that stim immune response
List the four types of T cells:
Cytotoxic (Tc) Helper (Th) Regulatory (T-regs) Memory (Tm)
Three Stages of Life for T cells?
Born in Bone Marrow
Educated in thymus
Deployed to perform function
Two ways T cells can be killed if they recognize self antigens?
Clonal Deletion - T cell dies and gets phagocytized Anergy - T cell is alive but unresponsive
B cells develop and mature in the:
The Bone
B cells also undergo clonal deletion and anergy
Do T cells require antigen presenting cells?
YES, T cells cannot recognize foreign antigens on their own
List the three types of APCs
B cells, Macrophages, and Dendritic cells
What does function of APCs depend on?
MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX PROTEINS
Acts as a cell "identification tag" unique to each person
THIS IS CALLED MHC-1
Antigen Processing
-APC encounters antigen -Internalizes it by endocytosis -Digests it into molecular fragments -Displays relevant fragments (epitopes) in the grooves of the MHC protein -Wandering T cells inspect APCs for displayed antigens -If APC only displays a self-antigen, the T cell disregards it -If APC displays a nonself-antigen, the T cell initiates an immune attack
Difference between MHC-I and MHC-II
MHC-I are constantly produced by nucleated cells
If they are self-antigens, no T cell response
If they are viral antigens, T cell response
MHC-II (human leukocyte antigens)
Only occur on APCs and display foreign antigens ONLY
What T lymphocytes can respond to which MHC proteins?
Cytotoxic cells (Tc) can ONLY respond to MHC-I Helper cells (Th) can ONLY respond to MHC-II
T-cell activation requires ________.
A MCH protein displaying an epitope it is programmed to target.
COSTIMULATION
Basically a check method to make sure the T cell has the correct foreign cell (usually a protein binding)
What does successful costimulation cause?
CLONAL SELECTION (replication)
The specific T cell will undergo mitosis, creating identical cells
Some become EFFECTOR (actively attacking) cells and others become MEMORY cells
Cytotoxic T cell Attack
Once Tc cells find a foreign antigen in a MHC-I PROTEIN, it "docks" to the cell and destroys it. (Perforins and Granzymes)
3 effects of interleukins secreted by T cells when it recognizes the antigen -MHCP complex (Foreign!!!!!!)
Attract Neutrophils
Attract Macrophages and stimulate phagocytosis
Stimulate T and B cell mitosis
Memory
Occurs after primary response in cellular immunity
Upon reexposure, the immune response is much faster
Humoral Immunity
B lymphocytes produce antibodies, which are HIGHLY SPECIFIC and bind to antigens to tag them for destruction.
3 stages of Humoral immunity:
Recognition
Attack
Memory
Recognition
Immunocompetent B cell has thousand of surface receptors Activation begins when B cell takes in antigens by receptor-mediated endocytosis
B cell processes antigen and DISPLAYS THE EPITOPE ON ITS MHC-II PROTEIN
Humoral Response
Antigen recognition - Immunocompetent B cells exposed to antigens
Antigen Presentation - B cell digests antigen and displays epitope.
Clonal Selection - Interleukin stims B cell mitosis and division
Differentiation - Some of the cells become memory cells, most become PLASMA cells
Attack - Plasma cells and secrete antibodies
Antibody structure
Two HEAVY CHAINS, Two LIGHT CHAINS (half as long)
VARIABLE REGION in all four chains
Gives Antibody its uniqueness
Antigen-binding site
Attaches to the epitope of an antigen molecule
CONSTANT REGION
Determines mechanism of antibody (unique to each person)
Actions of the Five Classes
Neutralizing Antigen
Binding neutralizing toxins and prevents virus from attaching to host cells
Immobilizing Bacteria
Cause Bacteria to lost mobility
Agglutinating and Precipitating Antigen
Two antigen binding sites, causing agglutination
Phagocytes ingest agglutinated microbes
Activating Complement
Antigen - Antibody complexes activate complement proteins
Enhancing Phagocytosis
Once antigens have bound to antibody, attracts phagocytes