Adaptive Immunity and Immunization

flashcards to help me study adaptive immunity

What is immunity?

The ability of an organism to recognize and defend itself against pathogens.

What is the difference between innate and adaptive immunity?

Innate immunity is produced against pathogens regardless of their type, while adaptive immunity is specific to particular pathogens.

What are the two types of adaptive immunity?

Naturally acquired and artificially acquired immunity.

How is naturally acquired adaptive immunity acquired?

By having a disease or through the transfer of antibodies from mother to fetus or through breast milk.

What is the difference between active and passive immunity?

Active immunity is produced by the host's own immune response, while passive immunity is provided by ready-made antibodies.

What is naturally acquired active immunity?

Immunity produced when a person is exposed to an infectious agent.

What is artificially acquired active immunity?

Immunity produced when a person is vaccinated with inactive, weakened, or dead organisms.

What is passive immunity?

Immunity created when ready-made antibodies are introduced into the body.

What is an antigen?

A substance that the body identifies as foreign and elicits a specific immune response.

What is a hapten?

A small molecule that can elicit an immune response when bound to a larger protein.

What is the role of lymphocytes in the immune system?

They are a key part of the immune system and are divided into B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells.

What are the two types of immune responses?

Humoral immunity (dependent on antibodies) and cell-mediated immunity (dependent on T cells).

What are the four general properties of the immune system?

Recognition of self versus non-self, specificity, diversity, and memory.

What is clonal selection in the immune system?

The process by which lymphocytes that recognize specific antigens are replicated while self-recognizing lymphocytes are deleted.

What is the primary immune response?

The immune response that occurs when the antigen is first recognized by B cells.

What characterizes the secondary immune response?

A faster and stronger response due to memory cells recognizing a previously encountered antigen.

What is vaccination?

The process of inducing an active immune response by administering a vaccine containing antigens.

What is a live vaccine?

A vaccine containing live bacteria or viruses with low pathogenicity, which can replicate without causing disease.

What is the difference between killed-organism vaccines and live vaccines?

Killed-organism vaccines cannot replicate and each dose must contain sufficient antigen, while live vaccines replicate and provide sustained antigen doses.

What are subunit vaccines?

Vaccines that contain purified antigenic components of pathogens, often resulting in fewer adverse reactions.

What is the function of monoclonal antibodies?

They are specific antibodies produced by a single clone of B cells, used for various therapeutic purposes.

What factors can affect immune responses?

Age, race, season, diet and nutrition, exercise, pregnancy, and lifestyle factors like sleep disorders and environmental exposures.