Immune system ap bio

Cell Communication

The process by which cells interact through direct contact or signaling to exchange information.

Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)

Cells that display foreign antigens on their surface to activate T cells.

Quorum Sensing

A process of cell-to-cell communication in bacteria that coordinates behavior based on population density.

Halophyte

A plant that can tolerate high salt concentrations in soil.

Heat Shock Proteins

Proteins that help prevent the denaturation of enzymes under excessive heat.

MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins

Glycoproteins that mark cells as 'self' and present antigens to T cells.

What is the structural classification of MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins?

They are glycoproteins.

What role do MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins play in cell identification?

They mark cells as 'self'.

How do MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins interact with T cells?

They present antigens to T cells.

Somatic Recombination

The process of reshuffling gene segments to create diverse antigen receptors in B and T lymphocytes.

What is the primary outcome of somatic recombination?

To create diverse antigen receptors.

In which specific immune cells does somatic recombination occur?

B and T lymphocytes.

Clonal Selection

The process by which specific lymphocytes are activated and proliferated in response to their specific antigen.

What triggers the process of clonal selection?

The presence of a specific antigen.

What are the key events that happen to lymphocytes during clonal selection?

They are activated and proliferated.

Active Immunity

Immunity resulting from exposure to an antigen and activation of the body's immune response.

Passive Immunity

Immunity acquired by the transfer of antibodies from an immune organism without activation of the recipient's lymphocytes.

Inflammatory Response

The body's response to injury or infection, involving the recruitment of immune cells to the site of damage.

Elicitors

Molecules produced by pathogens that trigger a plant's immune response.

Phytoalexins

Antimicrobial compounds produced by plants in response to pathogen infection.

R genes

Plant genes that provide resistance to specific pathogens by recognizing their proteins.

Hypersensitive Response

A localized defense response in plants where infected cells undergo programmed cell death to prevent pathogen spread.

What is the key cellular mechanism plants use in the Hypersensitive Response to prevent pathogen spread?

Programmed cell death (also known as Apoptosis).

Apoptosis

A form of programmed cell death that is genetically regulated.

Cell-Mediated Immunity

A type of immune response where T cells are primarily involved in identifying and destroying infected or cancerous cells.

Macrophage

A type of cell that engulfs and destroys pathogens and presents antigens to T cells.

Helper T Cell

A cell that activates and coordinates other immune cells to fight pathogens.

Killer T Cell (Cytotoxic T Cell)

A cell that identifies and destroys infected or cancerous cells.

Suppressor T Cell

A cell that prevents overactivity of the immune response and maintains tolerance.

Inflammatory Response

A biological response to harmful stimuli, characterized by swelling, redness, and warmth due to increased blood flow and permeability.

Histamine

A chemical released by injured tissue that signals the body to start the inflammatory response.

Antigen

A substance recognized by the immune system as foreign that can trigger a specific immune response.

Pathogen

An organism such as a virus, bacterium, or parasite that can cause disease in the host.

B Lymphocytes

Immune cells that mature in bone marrow and are responsible for the production of antibodies.

T Lymphocytes

Immune cells that mature in the thymus and carry out cell-mediated immune responses.

Clonal Selection

The process where a specific B or T lymphocyte is activated by binding to its matching antigen and rapidly dividing to produce identical cells.

Active Immunity

Immunity acquired through infection or vaccination, where the body produces its own antibodies.

Passive Immunity

Immunity acquired through the transfer of antibodies from another source, such as maternal antibodies crossing the placenta.

Complement System

Proteins in the immune system that help destroy pathogens by creating holes in their membranes.

Self-Tolerance

The ability of the immune system to avoid attacking the body's own cells.

Autoimmune Disorder

A condition that arises when the immune system fails to recognize self-cells, leading to the attack of the body's own tissues.

Secondary Immune Response

A faster and more robust immune response upon subsequent exposure to the same antigen, due to memory B and T cells.

Humoral Immunity

A type of immune response primarily involving B lymphocytes and antibodies, targeting pathogens in body fluids.

Antigen-Presenting Cell (APC)

A type of immune cell, such as a macrophage, dendritic cell, or B cell, that displays foreign antigens on its surface to activate T lymphocytes.

What are the main functions of antibodies?

Antibodies primarily neutralize pathogens, mark them for destruction by other immune cells, and activate the complement system.

What is the role of the thymus in the immune system?

The thymus is an organ where T lymphocytes mature and are "educated" to distinguish between self and non-self cells.

What is the role of bone marrow in immunity?

Bone marrow is the primary site of hematopoiesis, where all immune cells, including B and T lymphocytes (T cells migrate to the thymus for maturation), originate.

Innate Immunity

The non-specific, first-line defense mechanisms of the body that provide immediate protection against pathogens, including physical barriers, phagocytic cells, and the inflammatory response.

Adaptive Immunity

The specific immune response that targets particular pathogens and involves memory, allowing for a faster and stronger response upon subsequent exposure. It includes cell-mediated and humoral immunity.

Memory Cells

Long-lived B and T lymphocytes that remain in the body after an initial infection or vaccination, allowing for a rapid and robust secondary immune response upon re-exposure to the same antigen.