Immune System Lecture Review

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of the innate and adaptive immune systems, including cell types, chemical signaling, and methods of acquiring immunity.

Nonspecific (Innate) Immunity

The body's ability to tackle almost any threat that comes along, including surface barriers like skin and mucous membranes.

Cytokines

Chemicals used by the immune system to communicate with itself; examples include histamine and prostaglandin.

Natural Killer Cells

Cells that perform door kicking or lysis by punching holes in cells to cause their contents to leak out.

Complement System

A group of antimicrobial proteins described as highly trained assassins capable of killing pathogens in multiple ways.

Inflammation

The body's local disaster response characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.

Specific (Adaptive) Immunity

A specialized immune response that targets specific missions and keeps records using memory cells for faster future responses.

Immunocompetence

The process by which lymphocytes, such as T cells and B cells, acquire their specialized survival and recognition skills.

Thymus Gland

The location where T lymphocytes go to develop their skills and achieve immunocompetence.

Bone Marrow

The site where all white blood cells originate and where B lymphocytes stay to develop.

Antigens

Usually protein structures on the surface of cells that act as markers or flags for recognition.

Epitopes

The specific shapes on the surface of an antigen that lymphocytes read to identify a target.

MHC Proteins

Stands for Major Histocompatibility Complex; these act as the flagpoles that hold antigen shapes on the cell surface.

T Helper Cells (CD4)

The squad leaders of the T cell group that receive instructions and activate other members of the immune squad.

Cytotoxic T Cells (CD8)

Also called T killer cells, these are door kickers that use perforins and granzymes to kill target cells.

Humoral Immunity

Immunity involving B cells making antibodies that circulate in the blood and body fluids.

Plasma Cells

Specialized B cells that have developed to crank out large quantities of antibodies.

Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)

Cells like macrophages or dendritic cells that swallow pathogens and hold up their antigens as a sign to activate special forces.

Class I MHC Proteins

Proteins located on the surface of all nucleated body cells used for self-recognition.

Class II MHC Proteins

Proteins found on antigen presenting cells used to communicate specifically with T helper cells.

Primary Immune Response

The initial build-out of a response to a new pathogen, which takes time and usually involves the individual getting sick.

Secondary Immune Response

An overwhelming and quick response to a recurring pathogen facilitated by memory cells.

Agglutination

The process where antibodies cause bad guys to clump together, making them easier for the body to remove.

Opsonization

The process of antibodies glomming onto a pathogen to make it easier for phagocytes to grab and digest.

IgA

Antibodies found in body secretions such as sweat, mucus, tears, saliva, and breast milk.

IgG

The main antibody that crosses the placenta and continues to circulate long-term after an infection.

IgE

Antibodies involved in parasitic infections and allergic responses like hay fever by triggering histamine release.

IgM

The very first type of antibody produced by plasma cells when starting to fight a new infection.

Active Naturally Acquired Immunity

Immunity built by the body after getting sick with a disease and surviving the fight.

Active Artificially Acquired Immunity

Immunity stimulated by a vaccine where the body builds a response without the collateral damage of the actual disease.

Passive Naturally Acquired Immunity

Immunity borrowed from a mother via the placenta or breast milk.

Passive Artificially Acquired Immunity

Immunity borrowed through medical help, such as gamma globulin shots for rabies or Ebola.

Antimicrobial proteins

include interferon and the complement system

white blood cells (types)

macrophages, neutrophils, basophils, and eosniophils

T Suppressor Cells

play a crucial role in the immune system by regulating and suppressing immune responses, preventing autoimmune diseases.

T Memory Cells

Specialized T cells that persist long-term after an infection, allowing for a faster and more effective immune response upon subsequent encounters with the same antigen.

Neutralization

Binding all over toxins or poisons so they cannot bond with and damage body cells

Complement Activation

working with complement proteins to kill pathogens

IgD

unique antibody primarily expressed on mature B cells, acting as a receptor to activate B cells and contribute to mucosal immunity.