Innate and Adaptive Immunity

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to innate and adaptive immunity, based on the provided lecture notes.

Innate Immunity

The body's first line of defense against pathogens, involving physical and chemical barriers.

Adaptive Immunity

The immune response that is specific to particular pathogens and involves memory cells for future responses.

Phagocyte

A type of cell that engulfs and digests foreign particles and pathogens.

Sebum

An oily substance produced by sebaceous glands that helps protect the skin.

Inflammation

The body's response to injury or infection, characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.

NK Cells

Natural Killer cells that play a role in the innate immune response by targeting and destroying infected or cancerous cells.

Toll-like receptors

Proteins that play a key role in the innate immune system by recognizing pathogens.

Complement System

A series of proteins that enhance the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear pathogens.

Cytotoxic T Cells

T cells that kill cancer cells, cells that are infected (particularly with viruses), or cells that are damaged.

Antibody

A protein produced by B lymphocytes that binds to specific antigens to neutralize or eliminate them.

Epitopes

Specific parts of an antigen that antibodies or T cell receptors recognize and bind to.

Memory Cells

Long-lived immune cells that remember past infections, leading to a faster response upon re-exposure to the same pathogen.

Agglutination

Clumping of cells caused by the binding of antibodies to antigens on the surface of cells.