Introduction to Immunology - Diebel Flashcards

1
Q

What is the purpose of the immune system?

A

Prevent us from dying from infection by pathogens.

Protect us from constant exposure to microogranisms in the environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the major cellular players in the innate immune system?

A
  • Epithelium
  • Myeloid progeny:
    • Monocytes
      • Macrophages
      • Dendritic cells
    • Granulocytes
      • Neutrophils
      • Mast Cells
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the major cellular players in the adaptive immune system?

A
  • Lymphoid precursor cells
    • T-cells
    • B-cells
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the function of the Innate Immune System?

A
  • Stops most infections before they can cause symptoms
  • “Built-in” immunity
    • noninducible
    • preexisting ability to recognize and destroy pathogens and their associated products
    • does not require previous exposure to a pathogen
  • Rapidly reduces the number of invading organisms
    • Phagocytosis of pathogen
  • Complement - control inflammation
  • Signal transduction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the three basic steps in signal transduction?

A
  • Reception
    • Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)
  • Transduction
    • dsRNA PAMP causes confirmational change in Toll-Like-Receptor3 (TLR3)
    • activates TRIF+TAK1 → activates TBK1+IKKE → phosphorylates IRF3 → IRF3 dimerizes → active transcription factor
    • IRF3 dimer+NFKB produces → cytokine IFN-beta
  • Response
    • IFN-beta displayed on cell plasma membrane (cell-cell signaling)
    • limit the spread of viral infections
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the difference between a cytokine and a chemokine?

A
  • Cytokine = secreted molecules involved in cell-to-cell signaling
    • protein or glycoprotein
    • soluble messenger molecules secreted by cells of the immune system
  • Chemokine = large family of cytokines (subset of cytokines)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the role of a cytokine in immune system function?

A

Used by cells of the immune system to communicate and coordinate action.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the major cytokine categories? What are their general functions?

A
  • Interferons (IFNs):
    • limiting the spread of viral infections
  • Interleukins (ILs):
    • produced by T cells
    • causing neighboring cells to divide and differentiate
  • Colony Stimulating Factors (CSFs):
    • directing the division & differentiation of bone marrow stem cells and precursors of blood leukocytes
  • Chemokine:
    • direct the movement of leukocytes around the body
  • Tumor Necrosis Factors (TNFs):
    • mediate inflammation & cytotoxic reactions
  • Transforming Growth Factors (TGFs):
    • regulate cell division & tissue repair
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the role of a chemokine in immune system function?

A
  • direct the movement of leukocytes around the body
    • leukocyte homing
  • attract cells into inflamed tissues
  • recruit cells of the innate/adaptive immune response to fight off an infection
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a CD molecule?

A
  • Cluster of Differentiation
  • Protocol used for the identification and investigation of cell surface molecules
    • allows for immunophenotyping of cells
  • Can be receptors or ligands
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the function of the Adaptive Immune System?

A
  • Acquired ability to recognize and destroy an individual pathogen
    • pathogen-specific receptors are produced in large numbers only after exposure to the pathogen or ts products
    • “memory”
    • mediated by the binding of antigens to T-cell receptors and antibodies/immunoglobulins
    • protects against re-exposure
    • provides reinforcement for the innate immune response
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the bridge between Innate Immunity and Adaptive Immunity?

A
  • Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)
    • take up and process antigens so that they can be recognized by T-cells
    • essential for activation of T-cells
    • Macrophages, Dendritic Cells, & B-cells
      • able to recognize foreign material
      • break it down
      • display it on MHC II
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the difference between Active and Passive Immunity?

A
  • Active Immunity:
    • Develop natural active immunity by acquiring an infection that initiates an adaptive immune response
    • outcome of exposure to antigens through infection
    • results in protective immunity conferred by antibodies & T-cells
  • Passive Immunity:
    • Nonimmune person’s acquisition of preformed immune cells or antibodies via the transfer of cells/antibodies from an immune person
    • transient - does not last forever
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What cytokine(s) influences a pluripotent stem cell to become a lymphoid progenitor cell?

A

IL-3

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What cytokine(s) influences a pluripotent stem cell to become a myeloid progenitor cell?

A

IL-3 & GM-CSF

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Where do most immune system cells originate from?

A

Hematopoietic stem cells in fetal liver and in the postnatal bone marrow.

17
Q

What Innate Immune System Cells come from the myeloid lineage?

A
  • Macrophage
  • Neutrophil (PMN)
  • Eosinophil
  • Basophil
18
Q

What Adaptive Immune System Cells come from the lymphoid lineage?

A
  • Memory B-cells
  • Plasma Cells
  • CD4+ T-cells (helper)
  • CD8+ T-cells (killer)
  • Memory T-cells