L 19Vaccines and Autoimmune Diseases

Flashcards covering vaccines, immune responses, and autoimmune diseases.

Vaccine

A preparation (typically a shot) that contains a harmless version of a disease-causing agent (like a virus or bacteria). This 'practice' exposure helps your body learn to defend itself, so if you ever encounter the real disease, your immune system is ready to fight it off quickly. Think of it as a wanted poster for your immune cells, to help hunt down the germ.

Humoral Immune Response

This is one way your body fights off invaders. It involves B cells, which are special immune cells that create antibodies. Antibodies are like guided missiles that target and neutralize bacteria and viruses floating around in your body fluids (like blood).

Antigen-presenting cell

Imagine these as immune system messengers. They capture foreign particles (antigens) and show them off to other immune cells (T cells) with special display molecules (MHCs). This 'show and tell' is crucial for activating the immune response.

B cell

A type of white blood cell that is responsible for making antibodies. They're like the body's own customized weapon factories, each designed to produce antibodies that target a specific threat.

Helper T cell

These are the immune system's quarterbacks. They coordinate the attack by activating other immune cells, like B cells and cytotoxic T cells. They don't directly kill infected cells, but they're essential for rallying the troops.

Plasma cells

These are specialized B cells that are supercharged to produce huge amounts of a single type of antibody. Once a threat is identified, plasma cells churn out antibodies to overwhelm the invader.

Memory B cells

These are long-lived B cells that 'remember' past infections. If the same invader shows up again, these cells quickly activate and launch a faster, stronger immune response. This is why you often don't get the same disease twice.

Memory helper T cells

Similar to memory B cells, these T cells remember past infections and can quickly reactivate the immune system upon re-exposure. Effector memory T cells (TEM) and central memory T cells (TCM)

Cell-Mediated Immune Response

This is another way your body fights off invaders, but instead of antibodies, it uses cells to directly attack infected cells. Cytotoxic T cells, phagocytes, and cytokines are key players in this type of response.

Cytotoxic T cell

These are the immune system's assassins. They directly kill infected cells, cancer cells, or damaged cells. They recognize these abnormal cells by identifying foreign particles displayed on their surface.

Memory cytotoxic T cells

Like memory B cells and memory helper T cells, these T cells 'remember' past infections. They reactivate more quickly upon re-exposure.

Active cytotoxic T cells

This is a duplicate of the "Cytotoxic T cell" definition

Antibodies

Also known as Immunoglobulins (Ig), these are proteins produced by B cells that bind to specific antigens (foreign substances) and neutralize them or mark them for destruction by other immune cells.

Vaccination program successes

Vaccination programs have vastly reduced deaths from infections like Measles and Polio, by using immunization Traditional Vaccines

Immunization Traditional Vaccines

Antigens introduced into the body generate an adaptive immune response and memory cell formation. Antigens injected : inactivated bacterial toxins, Killed or weakened pathogens, or even genes encoding microbial proteins

Immunization mRNA Vaccines

mRNA vaccines: Use mRNA, a genetic code, to instruct cells to produce antigens. It is encased in a lipid nanoparticle coat so it can enter cells

Self-tolerance

This is the immune system's ability to recognize and not attack the body's own cells and tissues. When this fails, it leads to autoimmune diseases.

Apoptosis

This is programmed cell death, a normal process that eliminates damaged or unwanted cells in the body. It's like a built-in self-destruct mechanism.

Anergy

This is a state of immune unresponsiveness. It's when immune cells (usually T cells) become unable to respond to an antigen. It's one mechanism that helps maintain self-tolerance.

Autoimmune disease

This happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and type 1 diabetes.

Systemic lupus

The immune system generates antibodies against DNA released by normal breakdown of body cells where your breakdown comes from your own body.

Autoimmune disorder susceptibility

The likelihood of developing an autoimmune disorder is influenced by a combination of factors: one's Genetics, Gender, and Environment