AP Biology - Chemical Defenses and Immune System

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to chemical defenses in plants and the immune system, aiding in an understanding of AP Biology concepts.

Cell Communication

The process by which cells interact through direct contact or signaling to exchange information.

Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)

Cells that display foreign antigens on their surface to activate T cells.

Quorum Sensing

A process of cell-to-cell communication in bacteria that coordinates behavior based on population density.

Halophyte

A plant that can tolerate high salt concentrations in soil.

Heat Shock Proteins

Proteins that help prevent the denaturation of enzymes under excessive heat.

MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins

Glycoproteins that mark cells as 'self' and present antigens to T cells.

What is the structural classification of MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins?

They are glycoproteins.

What role do MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins play in cell identification?

They mark cells as 'self'.

How do MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) Proteins interact with T cells?

They present antigens to T cells.

Somatic Recombination

The process of reshuffling gene segments to create diverse antigen receptors in B and T lymphocytes.

What is the primary outcome of somatic recombination?

To create diverse antigen receptors.

In which specific immune cells does somatic recombination occur?

B and T lymphocytes.

Clonal Selection

The process by which specific lymphocytes are activated and proliferated in response to their specific antigen.

What triggers the process of clonal selection?

The presence of a specific antigen.

What are the key events that happen to lymphocytes during clonal selection?

They are activated and proliferated.

Active Immunity

Immunity resulting from exposure to an antigen and activation of the body's immune response.

Passive Immunity

Immunity acquired by the transfer of antibodies from an immune organism without activation of the recipient's lymphocytes.

Inflammatory Response

The body's response to injury or infection, involving the recruitment of immune cells to the site of damage.

Elicitors

Molecules produced by pathogens that trigger a plant's immune response.

Phytoalexins

Antimicrobial compounds produced by plants in response to pathogen infection.

R genes

Plant genes that provide resistance to specific pathogens by recognizing their proteins.

Hypersensitive Response

A localized defense response in plants where infected cells undergo programmed cell death to prevent pathogen spread.

What is the key cellular mechanism plants use in the Hypersensitive Response to prevent pathogen spread?

Programmed cell death (also known as Apoptosis).

Apoptosis

A form of programmed cell death that is genetically regulated.