Chapter 1

Kindt Goldsby Osborne

Kuby IMMUNOLOGY

Chapter 1
Overview of the Immune System

Copyright 2007 by W. H. Freeman and Company

Immunology is a branch of biomedical science that covers the study of immune
systems in all organisms.[1] It charts, measures, and contextualizes
the: physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and
diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders (such
as autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivities, immune deficiency, and transplant
rejection); the physical, chemical and physiological characteristics of the components of
the immune system in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. Immunology has applications in
numerous disciplines of medicine, particularly in the fields of organ transplantation,
oncology, virology, bacteriology, parasitology, psychiatry, and dermatology.

Prior to the designation of immunity from the etymological root immunis, which
is Latin for "exempt"; early physicians characterized organs that would later be proven
as essential components of the immune system. The important lymphoid organs of the
immune system are the thymus and bone marrow, and chief lymphatic tissues such
as spleen, tonsils, lymph vessels, lymph nodes,adenoids, and liver. When health
conditions worsen to emergency status, portions of immune system organs including the
thymus, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes and other lymphatic tissues can
be surgically excised for examination while patients are still alive.
Many components of the immune system are typically cellular in nature and not
associated with any specific organ; but rather are embedded or circulating in
various tissues located throughout the body.
 Discipline of immunology grew out of observation
that individuals who recovered from infectious
diseases were protected from disease

15th Century
Chinese and Turks tried to prevent smallpox
Dried crust from pustules were inhaled or inserted into small
cuts
1718
Lady Montagu had that technique done in her children
 1798
Edward Jenner
Noticed that milkmaids that contracted cowpox were
immune to smallpox
Innoculated small boy with fluid from cowpox pustule
He then intentionally infected the boy with smallpox the
child did not develop smallpox
1881
Louis Pasteur
Vaccinated sheep with heat-attenuated anthrax
Then infected sheep with virulent strain of anthrax they
did not develop anthrax
 1977
Last known naturally acquired case of smallpox
Is it still a threat?
In industrialized nations, measles, mumps,
whooping cough, tetanus, polio, and diptheria
are extremely rare or nonexistent
This is due to vaccines!
Prevent death, paralysis, deafness, blindness, mental
retardation
 1883
Metchnikoff demonstrated that certain white blood
cells were able to phagocytize microorganisms
1901
Von Behring and Kitasato
Demonstrated that serum (noncellular component of
blood) from animals immunized to diptheria could
transfer that immunity to non-immunized animals
 Immune system evolved to protect multicellular
organisms from pathogens
Does this by 2 related activites
Recognition and response
 Innate Immunity
1st line of defense
Molecular and cellular mechanisms deployed before an
infection
Distinguishes between self and pathogens but not
specialized to distinguish small differences in the
foreign particles
Adaptive Immunity
Develops in response to infection
Adapts to recognize, eliminate, and remember
pathogen
 Less specific
1st line of defense
Barriers that protect host
Skin
Acidity of stomach
Lysozymes in fluids
Phagocytic cells
Antimicrobial peptides (interferons, complement)
Temperature
 Highly specific
Characteristic attributes
Antigenic specificity
Antibodies can distinguish between 2 proteins that differ
in only 1 amino acid
Diversity
Immunologic memory
Self-nonself recognition
 Effective Immune response involves 2 groups
of cells
Lymphocytes
B cells
T cells
Antigen-presenting cells
 B cells
Mature in bone marrow
Antigen binding receptor Antibody
Glycoproteins
 Glycoproteins
Structure
2 identical polypeptides heavy chains
2 shorter identical polypeptides light chains
 Antigen coated by antibody is eliminated in
several ways
Antibody can cross-link several antigens, making it easier
to be ingested by phagocytic cells
Activate complement system resulting in lysis of
microorganism
 T cells
Arise in bone marrow but mature in thymus
2 well define subpopulations of T cells
T helper cells
T cytotoxic cells
 T cells
Can only recognize
antigen bound to cell
membrane proteins
called Major
Histocompatibility
Complex (MHC)

MHC molecules are

expressed by antigen-
presenting cells
B cells
Macrophages
Dendritic cells
 T cells
Cytokines secreted by TH cells can activate phagocytic
cells
TC cells can kill altered self-cells
Cells infected by viruses
Tumor cells
 Antigen presenting cell associating with T cell
 Initial encounter with antigen causes primary
response
Later contact with antigen will result in more
rapid response
 Allergies and Asthma
Graft rejection
Autoimmune Disease
Immunodeficiency