Immune System
 Immune system consist of four
lymphoid organs and a heterogenous
group of motile cell types that are
involved in the defense of the body
against bacteria, viruses , and other
foreign bodies
The organs are the thymus, lymph
nodes, spleen, and submucosal
lymphoid nodules of the
gastroentestinal tract. The cells involved
are macrophages, dendritic cells, and
lymphocytes
 Two principal types of lymphocyte
B-lymphocytes are generated in the
bone marrow
T-lymphocytes originate in the thymus
To prevent destructive effects of an
immune response on the cells they are
intended to protect, lymphocytes, must
be able to distinguish the body’s own
cells (self) from foreign cells (non-self)
This is made possible thru major
histocompatibility complex (MHC)
 MHC II- largely confined to the surface
of macrophages and lymphocytes
MHC I – present in all other cells of the
body
As lymphocytes and macrophages
migrate through the connective tissues,
any cell they may encounter that does
not have on its surface te MHC of that
individual , will be recognized as foreign
Humoral Immune Responses
Primary immune response
Antigen - any foreign substance that
will induce an immune response
Antigen-presenting cells are
macrophages and dendritic cells
The surface immunoglobulins of B-
lymphocytes serve as antigen
receptors enabling the cell to
recognize the surface proteins of
bacteria as non-self
Many of the activated B-lymphocytes
generated in a primary immune response
remain in the connective tissue and
undergo terminal differentiation into
plasma cells which are able to
synthesize and release millions of
antibody molecules per minute. Thus
making it a major effector cell of the
humoral immune response
Secondary Immune Response
The antibodies that were generated
from the primary immune response still
circulate in the blood. Thus a second
exposure to one of those species of
bacteria they were exposed to initiates a
secondary immune response
Classes of Immunoglobulin
Immunoglobulin G (IgG)- 75% of the
antibody produced in humoral immune
responses
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)- formed in response
to foreign proteins other than those
microorganisms. It binds to mast cells and
basophils, these respond to by releasing
histamine, which is responsible for many
discomforts associated with allergies
Immunoglobulin A (IgA)- found in the
secretions of the salivary glands, intestinal
glands, and glands of the respiratory tract
Cell-mediated Immune Response
Cell mediated immune response, is
made possible by cytotoxic T-
lymphocytes( CD-8) which are the
effector cells that can mount an effective
defense against virus and protozoans
Thymus
Is a lymphoid organ located in the
chest, behind the sternum, and
anterior to the heart
In early life it is quite large and plays
an essential role in the development
of immune system
Consist of 2 lobes , invested by thin
connective tissue capsule, wherein
thin septa extend inwards, subdividing
the lobes into smaller lobules
 Each lobule has a deeply staining and
highly cellular cortex and a paler
staining medulla
A unique feature of the medulla of the
thymus is the occurrence of odd
structure’s called Hassall’s
corpuscles, their function if any is
unknown
 The elimination of self-reactive T-
lymphocytes in the thymus is called
negative selection or clonal selection
If the process of selection fails it will
lead to a condition called autoimmune
disease
Lymph nodes
Kidney-shaped organs which are
distributed along the course of
lymphatic vessels draining various
regions of the body
Afferent lymph vessels enter each node
at several sites on its convex surface
Efferent lymph vessels emerge from the
shallow depression on its concave
surface called hilus
Lymph Node is enclosed in a thin capsule
Trabeculae- divides the cortex into a number
of compartments
Cortical sinus or subcapsular sinus-narrow
space around lymphoid tissue that is
immediately beneath the capsule
Lymphoid follicles- ovoid masses of closely
packed lymphocytes at the cortex
compartment
Germinal center- round paler-staining area
at the center of the follicle. It consists of
lymphoblast and large lymphocytes
Medullary cord- less densely packed
lymphocytes extends in the medulla of the
node
Lymphatic vessels of the body take up
excess extracellular fluid from the tissue
and return it to the blood
Spleen

Located in the upper abdomen

between the fundus of the stomach
and diaphragm
Largest organ of immune system
It is a hemolymphatic organ
 The spleen has a thick collagenous
capsule
White pulp- gray areas that are
scattered through a mass of dark-red
tissue
Red pulp- dark red tissue at the
spleen that are continuous
 Senescent erythrocytes are
phagocytized by macrophages, and
normal cells are returned
This function is dependent upon the
reticular structure of the red pulp and
very large population of macrophages
Play a major role in body’s immune
response . Bacteria that enters the
bloodstream are filtered out the
spleen and captured by the antigen-
presenting cells in the marginal zone
of lymphoid follicles
 The spleen is a major source of new
lymphocytes generated in the
germinal center of the white pulp
Thank you for listening!