Immunology - Chapters 1-6 Study Exam Guide 2024.

What are the two systems of of adaptive immunity? - correct answer 1. Cellular - Cell mediated 2. Humoral - Ab Both part of adaptive immunity. What are the components of innate immunity? - correct answer 1. Have the physical barriers, provided by skin, mucous, and epithelium. 2. A variety of serum molecules that may promote ingestion and killing. These include macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and molecules including complement and defensins. What are the defining features of innate immunity? - correct answer 1. They display no memory (are unchanged following repeated challenges by offending pathogens). 2. Are non-specific. But are actually specific in their method of distinguishing what to kill. Just not predetermined for something specific to kill. (Make sure you understand this concept well). What do mediators of innate immunity contribute to? - correct answer The complex process of development of inflammation. What will happen if you lose your innate immunity? - correct answer You will die. Even though it is relatively non-specific, it is highly effective and centrally important to our well-being. What will happen if you lose your adaptive immunity? - correct answer You will die. It is specific and highly effective and also centrally important to our-well being. What two features are defining of adaptive immunity? - correct answer 1. Specificity. 2. Memory. What is the historical/medical perspective to immunology? - correct answer Viewing immunology in light of resistance of infectious disease. The adaptive immune system can confer resistance to many infectious diseases (specificity) and has memory. What is the biological approach/perspective to immunology? - correct answer Recognition of self vs. non-self. This is called immunological specificity. What is the definition of immunity? - correct answer ACQUIRED resistance to infectious disease displaying SPECIFICITY at the molecular level. What is the definition of immune response? - correct answer Reactivity against a target DISPLAYING SPECIFICITY at the molecular level. Usually this target is considered a foreign target by the cell. But under autoimmune self can be attacked. List the 4 roles of the immune system. (These are not all the roles of the immune system, but just the 4 examples given in ch. 1). - correct answer 1. Resistance to infectious disease. 2. Allergy. 3. Autoimmunity. 4. Graft rejection. Explain resistance to infectious disease. - correct answer This is a central role of the immune system. Explain allergy. - correct answer Immune responses to food and to plant and animal products may result in various manifestations of allergies. Those these functions are part of the immune systems inherent function, they can at times lead to serious medical conditions like asthmatic reactions or anaphylatic shock. (Make sure you understand this last example well). This is not an intended out come of the immune system, but is part of what can happen. Explain autoimmunity. - correct answer Disruption of the ability of the immune system to distinguish between self and non-self. This leads to attack of self. Examples are RA and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Explain graft rejection. - correct answer Rejection of foreign tissues and organ transplants is a normal consequence of immunological specificity. (More detail about this in later chapters). What is the organ of immunity? - correct answer The lymphoid system. What cell type is centrally involved in ALL adaptive immune responses? - correct answer The lymphocyte. Why are the lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, thymus, and bone marrow considered part of the lymphoid system? - correct answer They all contain lymphocytes. What are humoral immune responses? - correct answer Those mediated by antibodies in various body fluids. The humor response offers protection from infections caused by organisms which are EXTRACELLULAR. This includes most bacteria and their toxic products! What are two examples of humoral responses? - correct answer 1. Hay fever. 2. Food allergies. What are cell-mediated immune responses? - correct answer These are not mediated simple by antibodies, but require direct participation of immunologically reactive cells. Cell-mediated immunity is responsible for resistance to infectious organisms which are primarily INTRACELLULAR. This includes viral infectious and certain bacteria. What are two examples of cell-mediated immune responses? - correct answer 1. Fungal infections. 2. GRAFT REJECTION. What effector molecule in immune serum allows for the transfer of humoral immunity? - correct answer The antibody. What is the definition of antibody? - correct answer The molecule present in the serum and other humors which mediates HUMORAL IMMUNITY and which can bind SPECIFICALLY to an antigen. What is antiserum? - correct answer Serum that contains antibodies directed against one or more antigens. What is an antigen? - correct answer A molecule which can be specifically bound by an antibody. Such a molecule is typically a protein or carbohydrate that is recognized as "foreign." What is an epitope? - correct answer The minimum target structure on an antigen which is bound by a particular antibody molecule. Does an antigen only have one epitope? - correct answer No necessarily. An antigen may, and usually does, have MANY different epitopes. Each of which can be a target for antibody binding. What is an antigenic determinant? - correct answer A fancy term for an epitope. What is antigen specificity? - correct answer Another fancy term for an epitope. Can an antibody itself be an antigen? - correct answer Yes! In a human a rabbit antibody is considered "foreign" and thus to the human the rabbit Ab is an antigen. How do you provide immunity for a specific bacteria to a person? - correct answer Need to inject them with the KILLED bacteria so that the person does not get an infection. If you inject enough live bacteria, then the person will die. From now on the person will be immune to w/e bacteria you made this person immune to. This is called ACTIVE IMMUNITY because Ab were created by the person's immune system for the specific dead bacteria you injected. For what type of bacteria is immunization applicable for? - correct answer Extracellular pathogens. If the bacteria is an intracellular pathogen the humor immune response will be worthless. In such a case need cell-mediated immune response. What is the difference between passive and active immunity? - correct answer In active immunity a person's OWN immune system is responsible for created Ab resistance to a bacteria. In passive immunity a recipient is transferred such Ab and thus the person's body is just protected by the presence of Ab. The recipients immune system does not participate at all and does not create such AB. The Ab protection for the recipient will last only as long as the Ab last. What is agglutination? - correct answer A method that allows for detecting and quantitating Ab. The term refers to immune serum (which contains specific Ab) is mixed with a suspension of bacteria. You will see rapid "clumping" of the Ab and the bacterial antigen. So such a test allows you to test for the presence and amount of Ab. What two types of categorically effects can antibodies exhibit? - correct answer 1. Physical effects which depend only on the physical nature of the antibody and antigen.