1.0 Innate & Adaptive Immune Responses

Flashcards covering essential vocabulary related to the basic principles of immunological reactions, focusing on innate and adaptive immune responses.

Innate Immunity

The first line of defense that is non-specific and always responds within minutes.

Adaptive Immunity

The second line of defense that is specific and requires prior exposure to an antigen.

Phagocytes

Cells that engulf and digest pathogens, including macrophages and neutrophils.

Microcidal Molecules

Substances that inhibit or kill microbes, such as defensins and lysozymes.

Commensal Microbes

Non-pathogenic microbes that coexist with the body and help inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes.

Inflammation

The body's tissue response to injury characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.

Antibodies

Immunoglobulins produced by B cells that specifically target pathogens.

Natural Killer Cells

A type of immune cell that can attack and destroy infected or cancerous cells non-specifically.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels that increases blood flow to the site of injury.

Cytotoxic T cells

Cells that directly attack and destroy infected or cancerous cells.

Antigens

Substances that are recognized as foreign and provoke an immune response.

Cell-mediated immunity

An adaptive immune response involving T cells that directly attack infected cells.

Humoral immunity

An adaptive immune response involving B cells that produce antibodies.

Fever

An elevation in body temperature that occurs during infection and enhances immune response.

Surface Barriers

The physical and chemical barriers such as skin and mucus membranes that protect against pathogens.

Chemotaxis

The movement of phagocytes towards the site of infection in response to chemical signals.