Lecture 1 – Overview of the Immune System

Fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering key concepts from Lecture 1 on the immune system, including vaccination history, immune branches, innate vs. adaptive features, receptors, tolerance, and memory.

Immunity refers to protecting self against __.

non-self

The Latin word "immunis" means __.

exempt

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed approximately __ million people.

50–100

The Bubonic Plague (Black Death) killed about __ million people worldwide.

75

Malaria parasites are transmitted by female __ mosquitoes.

Anopheles

The Nobel laureate who discovered artemisinin is Dr. Youyou __.

Tu

Vaccination against smallpox used the related virus __.

cowpox

Edward Jenner inoculated a boy with __ virus to protect him from smallpox.

cowpox

Louis Pasteur showed that __ (attenuated) pathogens can provide immunity.

weakened

Pasteur coined the term __ for his attenuated strains in honor of Jenner.

vaccine

After vaccine introduction, annual U.S. smallpox cases fell from 48,164 to __.

0

Most vaccination side effects are __ and mild.

very rare

Measles cases increase when people lack __.

vaccination

Andrew Wakefield falsely linked the MMR vaccine to __.

autism

The two major branches of immunity are humoral and __ immunity.

cellular

Molecules that can initiate immune responses are called __.

antigens

In a humoral response, __ lymphocytes produce antibodies.

B

Cell-mediated immunity primarily involves __ lymphocytes.

T

A functioning immune system ignores __ antigens while attacking non-self antigens.

self

Organisms that cause disease are known as __.

pathogens

Many viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, are __ pathogens.

non-cellular

Whether a bacterium is pathogenic can depend on its __ within the body.

location

Because antibodies circulate in body fluids, antibody-mediated immunity is called __ immunity.

humoral

Cellular immunity involves cells that __ target cells.

attack/kill

In __ immunity, protection is obtained from another individual (e.g., maternal antibodies).

passive

Immunity acquired through vaccination is termed __ immunity.

active

Innate immunity serves as the __ line of defense and responds rapidly.

first

Pattern recognition receptors bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns, abbreviated __.

PAMPs

Adaptive immunity is highly __ because it uses randomly generated receptors.

specific

Innate immune cells secrete __ such as cytokines that regulate adaptive responses.

signal molecules

Pathogens evolve quickly because they have __ life cycles than their hosts.

shorter

B-cell receptors are membrane-bound __.

antibodies

The immune system favors __ in designing recognition molecules to cover many antigens.

randomness

Self-reactive lymphocytes are eliminated through __ selection.

negative

Each B or T cell expresses receptors that recognize only __ specific antigen.

one

Activation of a lymphocyte followed by proliferation is described by the __ selection theory.

clonal

Tolerance prevents the immune system from destroying __ cells.

host/self

The rapid, potent response upon re-exposure to an antigen is due to __ memory.

immunologic