Viruses and the Immune System Review

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to viruses and the immune system based on the provided lecture notes.

Virus

A tiny, infectious particle that can reproduce only by infecting a host cell.

Bacteriophage

A type of virus that infects bacteria.

Antigen

A toxin or foreign substance that induces an immune response.

Antibody

An antigen-specific protein made by the immune system that binds to and inactivates antigens.

Phagocyte

A type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests invading pathogens.

Innate immunity

The rapid immune response that provides immediate defense against infection.

Adaptive immunity

A slower immune response that is specific to particular pathogens and involves memory cells.

Virus lifecycle

The stages a virus goes through to infect a host cell, including attachment, entry, replication, assembly, and release.

Eukaryotic cell

A cell that contains a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Prokaryotic cell

A cell that lacks a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Viral replication

The process by which a virus makes copies of itself within a host cell.

Viral release

The process by which new virions exit the host cell, often leading to cell lysis.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA.

Macrophage

A type of phagocyte that engulfs and digest cellular debris and pathogens.

Natural killer cell

A type of immune cell that can destroy compromised host cells, such as those infected by viruses.

Genetics of viruses

Viruses can contain either DNA or RNA as their genetic material, which can be single-stranded or double-stranded.

Viral envelope

A lipid membrane derived from the host cell that surrounds some viruses.