Innate Immunity Flashcards

Flashcards on Innate Immunity

Macrophages

Cells of the innate immune response in vertebrates that recognise and engulf foreign material.

Stomata

Tiny epidermal pores bound by two specialised guard cells; they are the main way in which gas exchange occurs in plants.

Barriers to Infection

Innate resistance to infection consists of physical, chemical, and microbiological barriers.

Alkaloids

Toxic to many organisms, from fungi, bacteria and insects to humans; examples include caffeine, nicotine, morphine, capsaicin and atropine.

Cyanogenic glycosides

Compounds that break down to form hydrogen cyanide, which is extremely toxic to all eukaryotic cells.

Saponins

Have soap-like properties and break down lipids, disrupting the plasma membranes of pathogens.

Surfactants

Detergent-like substances found in lung secretions that lower the surface tension of lung fluids and prevent the alveoli from collapsing on exhalation.

Immunological memory

The ability of lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system to 'remember' antigens after primary exposure, and to mount a larger and more rapid response when exposed to the same antigen again.

R Proteins

Proteins coded for by resistance genes, which switch on a plant's defenses when it recognizes specific PAMPs.

Phagocytes

Leukocytes that are able to engulf and break down pathogens in a process known as phagocytosis.