Innate Immunity, Inflammation, Hypersensitivity, and Hematologic Disorders

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering key terms in innate immunity, inflammatory mediators, hypersensitivity reactions, hematopoiesis, and hematologic malignancies.

Duffy Antigen (DARC)

A protein antigen evaluated in the context of Benign Ethnic Neutropenia.

Lactobacillus acidophilus

A normal flora bacterial species that functions in innate immunity by producing an acidic chemical environment in areas like the vagina.

Lysozyme

An antibacterial enzyme found in body secretions such as tears, saliva, and sebum that acts as a chemical barrier in innate immunity.

Defensins

Antimicrobial peptides produced by epithelial and immune cells that function in innate chemical host defense.

Mucociliary Escalator System

A physical innate defense mechanism where respiratory cilia beat synchronously to move mucus and trapped microbes out of the airway.

Microglial Cells

Resident tissue macrophages located specifically within the central nervous system (CNS).

Dust Cells

Alveolar resident macrophages located within the pulmonary tissues of the lungs.

Langerhans Cells

Resident immune dendritic cells / macrophages found in the epidermal layer of the skin.

Kupffer Cells

Specialized resident macrophages located in the liver.

Cytokine

A cell-derived signaling protein molecule that mediates and regulates immunity, cellular communication, and inflammatory responses.

Chemokine

A specific class of cytokines that functions to stimulate directed leukocyte migration and recruitment to sites of tissue damage.

PAMPs

Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns; conserved molecular signatures on pathogens recognized primarily by innate immune receptors.

DAMPs

Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns; host molecules released by necrotic or damaged cells that trigger non-infectious inflammatory signals.

Histamine

A vasoactive mediator released from mast cell granules that causes rapid vasodilation and increased vascular permeability.

Arachidonic Acid Metabolites

Eicosanoid inflammatory mediators, including prostaglandins and leukotrienes, generated from membrane phospholipids.

TNF-alpha and IL-1

Key pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and provoke systemic inflammatory signs; targeted by monoclonal antibodies like Remicade and Humira.

MALT

Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue; peripheral secondary lymphoid aggregations distributed across gastrointestinal and respiratory mucosal lines.

Epitope

An antigenic determinant; the precise structural site on an antigen to which specific antibodies or antigen receptors bind.

Hapten

A low-molecular-weight molecule that cannot elicit an adaptive immune response on its own, but becomes immunogenic when bound to a larger carrier protein.

Atopic

Refers to an inherited hyper-allergic tendency marked by elevated serum levels of IgE and increased basophils and mast cells.

Rheumatoid Factor (RF)

An autoantibody commonly associated with immune complex formation in autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Sjörden's Syndrome

An autoimmune disease primarily affecting exocrine glands, resulting in classic symptoms of dry eyes and dry mouth.

Serum Sickness

A systemic Type III hypersensitivity reaction triggered by circulating immune complexes depositing in small vessels, joints, and tissues.

Arthus Reaction

A localized Type III hypersensitivity reaction causing localized tissue necrosis and acute inflammatory vasculitis.

Urushiol

A plant-derived hapten that initiates sensitization and subsequent cell-mediated Type IV delayed contact dermatitis upon re-exposure.

Perforins and Granzymes

Cytotoxic granules released by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and NK cells that create membrane pores and induce target cell apoptosis.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

A hematopoietic colony-stimulating factor synthesized by renal fibroblasts that drives red blood cell production.

Thrombopoietin (TPO)

A colony-stimulating factor synthesized by renal proximal convoluted tubular cells and hepatocytes that drives platelet production.

Neutropenia

A blood disorder characterized by a peripheral blood neutrophil count lower than $1500/\text{microliter}$.

Agranulocytosis

A life-threatening, acute deficit or virtual absence of circulating granulocytes (especially neutrophils) in the blood.

Downey Cells

Atypical, reactive lymphocytes observed on blood smears from patients with acute infectious mononucleosis.

Monospot Test

A rapid diagnostic assay used to detect heterophil antibodies associated with infectious mononucleosis.

Philadelphia Chromosome

A reciprocal translocation producing the BCR-ABL fusion gene, serving as a defining cytogenetic hallmark for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML).

Leukostasis

A hyperleukocytosis emergency in acute leukemia where extremely high blast counts increase blood viscosity and cause vascular plugging.

Reed-Sternberg Cells

Large, distinctive multinucleated tumor cells characteristic of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Biphenotypic Leukemia

An acute leukemia variant where leukemic blast cells display surface markers of both lymphoid and myeloid lineages.