immune system

biology

microbe

microscopic bacteria or organism or protist, etc. Not always harmful

pathogen

a microbe that causes sickness

illness/death

loss of homeostasis

infectious disease

illness caused by pathogens

non-infectious disease

illness not caused by pathogens i.e. genetic mistakes, or environmental toxins

allergy

immune response to something harmless, a mistake in immune response. triggers inflammatory responses, releasing histamines

immunocompromised

immune system is weakened and can’t fully fight off infections

herd immunity

idea that people who cannot be vaccinated won’t get infected if the people around them are vaccinated

fever

when brain raises body temp to facilitate the immune response for faster chemical reactions

innate defenses

generic ways to keep pathogens out. includes:macrophages(type of phagocyte) mucus, skin, stomach acid, sneezing, coughing, tears, enzymes,etc.

virulence

severity or harmfulness

bacterial infection

caused by bacteria, is living, able to spread without a host

viral infection

caused by viruses, not alive, must manipulate host cell to spread

vaccine

contains a weak version of pathogen that stimulates immune system to produce antibodies and white blood cells, which develops immunity to disease

antigens

protein and sugar coat on cells that acts like a name tag and tells the body if it belongs or not

antibody

a Y-shaped protein used to deactivate pathogens and is part of immune response

white blood cell

part of immune response. They are included in helping antibodies, and their roles depend on what type of WBC they are: lymphocytes or phagocytes

phagocytes

the type of white blood cell that engulfs pathogens with an antibody attached to it

lymphocytes

type of white blood cell that produces antibodies

immunity

able to fight off re-infection

agglutination

the clumping of antibodies, pathogens, and white blood cells when they perform immune response

antihistamines

relieve allergies by countering histamines

autoimmune disease

caused by immune system attacking cells as if they were pathogens. i.e. type 1 diabetes where your antibodies attack insulin producing cells

asthma

chronic disease caused by allergic reactions in the respiratory system. Allergens can trigger narrowed air passages