Intro to Immunosero

What is immunology the study of?

The study of molecules, cells, organs, and systems responsible for the recognition and disposal of foreign materials, and how the body components respond and interact.

Who is known as the "Father of Immunology"?

Louis Pasteur.

What did Edward Jenner demonstrate?

That protection from smallpox could be generated by the transfer of material from a cowpox lesion.

What is serology?

A division of immunology that specializes in laboratory detection and measurement of specific antibodies in response to disease-producing antigens.

What is the primary function of antibodies?

They respond to an infection or disease.

What are the characteristics of the immune system?

Specificity, memory, mobility, replicability, and cooperation among different cells.

What is the first line of defense in the immune system?

Physical barriers such as intact skin and mucous membranes.

What is the pH of normal skin and how does it assist in protection?

A pH of 5.0, which acts as an acidic barrier to pathogens.

What cells are considered professional phagocytes?

Neutrophils and macrophages.

What distinguishes natural (innate) immunity from acquired (adaptive) immunity?

Natural immunity is present at birth and nonspecific, while acquired immunity develops over time and is specific.

What cells are involved in humoral immunity?

B-lymphocytes (B cells) that produce antibodies.

What is passive immunity?

Immunity that is conferred immediately by receiving antibodies from another organism.

What are interleukins?

Cytokines that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and motility in the immune response.

What are the cardinal signs of inflammation?

Rubor (redness), calor (heat), tumor (swelling), dolor (pain), and functio laesa (loss of function).

What are the two main components of adaptive immunity?

Cellular immunity (T-lymphocytes) and humoral immunity (B-lymphocytes).

What is a tumor necrosis factor?

A cytokine that recruits and activates neutrophils and monocytes to the site of infection.

What is the significance of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)?

It is a set of genes that control tissue compatibility and are critical for immune recognition.

What is clonal selection in immunology?

The activation and proliferation of lymphocytes with identical specificities induced by a specific antigen.