Innate Immunity

What is innate (non-specific) immunity?

It provides general protection against many types of pathogens.

What is species immunity?

Pathogens often fail to infect different species due to differences in temperature or chemical environments.

What are mechanical barriers in innate immunity?

Skin and mucous membranes that prevent pathogen entry.

What role do chemical barriers play in innate immunity?

They create harmful environments, like stomach acid and lysozyme in tears, that kill pathogens.

What are interferons?

Substances secreted by virus-infected cells that stimulate non-infected cells to produce virus-blocking proteins.

What is chemotaxis in the immune response?

The attraction of immune cells to the site of infection by cytokines.

What is complement in immune defense?

Proteins that bind to antibodies on pathogens and infected cells, helping to eliminate them.

What is opsonization?

The process where complement proteins coat membranes to make phagocytosis easier.

What occurs during chemotaxis related to complement?

Phagocytes are attracted to the site of infection.

What is lysis in the context of innate immunity?

The rupture of membranes of foreign cells.

What does agglutination refer to in immune response?

The clumping together of pathogens.

How does neutralization affect viruses?

It alters viruses to make them harmless.

What is phagocytosis?

The process by which cells engulf any foreign particle.

What do phagocytes release to attract more phagocytes?

Chemotaxis cytokines.

Which phagocytes are typically found in the blood?

Neutrophils and monocytes.

Which phagocytes are found in tissues?

Dendritic cells, mast cells, and macrophages.

What are Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)?

Cells like mast cells and macrophages that display antigens on their surface for recognition by lymphocytes.

What do phagocytes in tissue release besides chemotaxis cytokines?

Fever cytokines, histamine, heparin, and inflammatory cytokines.

What does a fever do in terms of bacterial growth?

It raises body temperature, interfering with bacterial growth and enhancing phagocyte activity.

What characterizes inflammation?

Pain, redness, immobility of area, swelling, and heat.

What substances contribute to inflammation?

Histamine, heparin, and inflammatory cytokines from phagocytes.

What is vasodilation?

The widening of blood vessels that increases blood flow, causing heat and redness.

What happens to blood vessel permeability during inflammation?

Tissues swell as plasma leaks from blood.

What is pus?

A mixture of white blood cells, bacterial cells, and damaged tissue.

What is the physiological response to injury?

The entry of harmful things into the body leading to inflammation.

List the symptoms of inflammation.

Pain, warmth, swelling, and redness.

What initiates the inflammatory response?

The entry of harmful substances into the body.

What does 'fever cytokines' refer to?

Cytokines released by phagocytes that induce fever.

What is the role of cytokines in the immune response?

They facilitate communication between immune cells.

How does increased blood flow affect immune response?

It enhances the activity of leukocytes.

What does inflammation aim to achieve?

To contain and eliminate harmful agents.