Immune Response to Bacterial Infection

Flashcards reviewing vocabulary and key concepts related to the immune response to bacterial infections.

Human Pathogens

Bacteria that cause human disease.

Gram Stain

A common method to group bacteria, discovered by Gram.

Gram Positive Bacteria

Bacteria that appear purple after a Gram stain due to a thick peptidoglycan layer.

Gram Negative Bacteria

Bacteria that appear pink after a Gram stain due to a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane.

Peptidoglycan

A component of the bacterial cell wall that differs between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

A virulence factor found in gram-negative bacteria, consisting of a lipid connected to a polysaccharide.

Exotoxin

A toxin secreted by bacteria into the surrounding environment.

Endotoxin

A bacterial component, such as LPS, that induces inflammation but is not secreted.

Extracellular Infection

Infection occurring outside of cells, either in the interstitial space or in bodily fluids.

Intracellular Infection

Infection occurring inside of cells, either within the cytoplasm or inside a vesicle.

Innate Immune System

The fast and built-in immune response that is the first line of defense against pathogens.

Adaptive Immune System

The slower immune response that mounts a targeted attack against pathogens, typically activated after three days.

T Follicular T Cells

A subset of CD4+ T cells that help B cells during activation in the germinal center.

Thymus-Independent Antigen

Antigens that can activate B cells without the help of T cells.

Formal Peptide Receptor

A receptor that detects the formal group found in bacterial peptides, triggering an immune response.