Immunity/Immune Response (lecture notes)

Need for homeostasis

Homeostasis – dynamic consistency of the internal environment
Immunological homeostasis – combination of mechanisms to ensure integrity
of the individual by means of identification, binding, elimination.
Key primary lymphoid organs: thymus, bone marrow
Secondary lymphatic tissue: spleen, tonsils, lymph vessels/nodes, adenoids,
skin, liver
Central – thymus, bone marrow, foetal liver
Peripheral – lymph nodes, spleen, intraepithelial lymphocytes, mucosa
associated lymphoid tissue.

Immunity
Adaptive Innate (born with)
Natural Artificial
Passive Active Passive Active
(Maternal) (infection) (antibody transfer) (immunisation)

Innate (non-specific):
 Does not depend on type of antigen
 Fast and no lag period
 No immunological memory
 Basic cells = macrophages, microphages, natural killer cells
Adaptive (Specific):
 Depends on type of antigen
 Slow and lag period exists
 Develop immunological memory
 Basic cells = B- T- lymphocytes
Body defences:
Skin – first line of defence
Cellular counterattack = second line of defence  neutrophils + macrophages
kills by making pores in cells
Inflammatory response = histamines, phagocytotic cells + fever = local
inflammation  increasing temperature, increasing blood flow to that point
Specific immune defences:
Immune response = 3rd line of defence
Lymphocytes target specific antigens for attack. Need antigen presenting cells
= by innate system
T cells must be activated by antigen presenting cells.
T cells and B cells serve different functions in the immune response.
T Cells:
Cell mediated response.
T cells respond to antigens when presented by MHC.
B Cells:
Humoral immune response.
Antibodies secreted by B cells label invading microbes.
Antibodies, genetic recombination generates millions of B cells, each
specialised to produce a particular antibody.
Antibodies in medical diagnosis, they react against certain blood types.
Immune system can be defeated:
T cell destruction = AIDS, virus suppresses immune system by destroying T
helper cells.
Antigen shifting = some microbes change their surface antigens and evade the
immune system.
Autoimmunity + allergy = immune system sometimes causes disease by
attacking its own antigens.
Only vertebrates have specific immune system.
Skin:
Defended from infection.
Makes entry of foreign substance difficult.
Cells of innate immunity = “roaming patrols”
Sentries = check foreign substances for “ID”, if not part of the body the foreign
cells are directly killed.
First barrier for penetration by microbes.
Mucous membranes in respiratory and digestive tracts = important barriers
Roaming patrols:
Cellular counterattack = using a battery of cells + chemicals = kills microbes.
Rapid.
Sentries:
Patrol blood stream.
Scans surface of every cell.
Skin:
Oil + sweat glands gives the skin a pH of 3-5.
Sweat contains the enzyme lysozyme.
Skin prevents excessive water loss to air through evaporation.
Epidermis of skins is approx. 10-30 cells thick.
Outer layer = stratum corneum contains cells that are continuously abraded
and injured. Cells are continuously shed from the stratum corneum and
replaced by new cells produced in stratum basale.
Cells that kill invading microbes:
Macrophages
Neutrophils
Natural killer cells
Macrophages:
Large, irregularly shaped cells.
Kill microbes by ingesting them by phagocytosis.
Inside membrane bound vacuole containing bacterium fuses with a lysosome.
Fusion activates lysosomal enzymes.
Engulfs viruses, cellular debris, dust particles.
Circulate continuously in extracellular fluid.
Infection response = monocytes found in blood squeeze through capillaries
into connective tissues. At site of infection the monocytes are transformed into
additional macrophages.
Neutrophils:
Leukocytes – ingest and kill bacteria by phagocytosis.
Release chemicals.
Natural killer cells:
Do no attack invading microbes.
Kill cells that have been infected with viruses.
They kill by creating a hole in plasma membrane of target cell.
Protein perforin is released from natural killer cells and inserts into membrane
of target cells. This forms a pore, pore allows water to rush in, causing swelling
then bursts.
Proteins that kill invading microbes:
Chemical defence = complement system (augment effects of other defences)
 amplify inflammatory response by stimulating histamine release.
 attract phagocytes to area of infection.
Other class of proteins = interferons.
3 major categories: alpha, beta, gamma.
Almost all cells in the body make alpha and beta interferons. Acts as
messengers that protect normal cells.
Gamma produced only by particular lymphocytes and natural killer cells.
Complement proteins form a complex transmembrane pore resembling the
perforin lined pores formed by NK cells.
Inflammatory response:
Localised non-specific response.
Infected/injured cells releasee chemical alarm signals = histamine and
prostaglandin.
Chemical promote dilation of local blood vessels and increases blood flow.
Antigen:
Molecule that provokes specific immune response.
Large complex molecules.
Generally foreign to the body.
Different parts of the antigen are called antigenic determinant sites.
Humoral immunity. (Humour = body fluid)
Leukocytes = neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes.
4 types of T cells:
 inducer T cells
 helper T cells Th (initiate immune response)
 cytotoxic T cells (cell poisoning) Tc
 suppressor T cells (terminate immune response)
Maturation of T cells are different for every T lymphocyte.
Receptors are not composed to be receptors, they are just present of cell
surface and are able to bind.
Cells in our body show “ID”. If correct the T cells do not bind which is good.
B cells mature in bone marrow released to circulate in blood and lymph.
Called B cells because originates from Bursa.