ALL NOTES - Biodiversity, Evolution and Disease

• What disease does the plasmodium parasite spread?

  Malaria
• How does the plasmodium parasite spread malaria?

  Through bites from infected mosquitoes
• Which cells does the plasmodium parasite invade?

  Red blood cells, liver, and brain
• What are the species of the plasmodium parasite that cause malaria?

  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Plasmodium vivax
  • Plasmodium ovale
  • Plasmodium malariae
• What is direct transmission of a disease?

  Transmission directly from one organism to another
• What is indirect transmission of a disease?

  Transmission via an intermediate organism or vector
• What is a vector in disease transmission?

  An organism that carries pathogens
• What are the characteristics of bacteria?

  • Diverse range of prokaryotic organisms
  • Some are non-pathogenic, others are pathogenic
• What is a virus?

  A non-cellular infectious agent
• How do viruses replicate?

  By infecting host cells
• What are protoctista?

  • Unicellular eukaryotes
• What are the similarities between fungi and plants?

  • Similar structure
• What are the types of plant defenses against pathogens?

  • Passive: Physical and Chemical
  • Active: Increased production of barriers and chemicals
• What is a waxy cuticle in plants?

  A physical barrier against pathogens
• What role do phagocytes play in the immune system?

  They engulf and destroy pathogens

  
• What is the structure of a phagocyte?

  Multilobed nucleus and pathogen recognition receptors

  
• What do pathogen recognition receptors do?

  Bind to antigens on pathogens
• What is the process of phagocytosis?

  1. Pathogen recognition
  2. Engulfment into a phagocytic vacuole
  3. Fusion with lysosomes
  4. Digestion of the pathogen
  5. Presentation of antigens

  
• What is the role of mast cells in the immune response?

  Release histamines during inflammation

  
• What happens to neutrophils after they digest bacteria?

  They often die and form pus
• What is the function of monocytes?

  They become macrophages in tissues
• What is the role of dendritic cells?

  Process and present antigens to lymphocytes
• How do antigen presenting cells (APCs) function?

  They display antigens in MHCs
• What is the significance of damage associated molecular patterns?

  They lower activation thresholds for immune cells
• What is the adaptive immune response?

  Activation of specific T and B lymphocytes
• What is the role of T helper cells?

  Activate B cells and other immune cells

  
• What happens during clonal selection of T cells?

  Specific T cells are activated and proliferate
• What is the difference between cell-mediated and antibody-mediated responses?

  Cell-mediated targets infected cells, antibody-mediated targets pathogens
• What is the structure of antibodies?

  Four polypeptides: two heavy and two light

  
• What is the primary immune response?

  Slow response to first exposure to an antigen

  
• What is the secondary immune response?

  Faster response upon re-exposure to the same antigen

  
• What are the types of immunity?

  • Active immunity: body produces own antibodies
  • Passive immunity: antibodies received from another organism
• What is herd immunity?

  Majority vaccinated, reducing disease spread
• What is antigenic drift?

  Small changes in antigen structure
• What is an autoimmune disease?

  Immune system attacks self-antigens
• What is lupus?

  Autoimmune disease affecting connective tissue
• What is rheumatoid arthritis?

  Autoimmune disease affecting the joints
• What are the sources of medicine?

  • Plants
  • Microorganisms
  • Fungi
  • Animals
• Why is biodiversity important for medicine?

  • Potential new sources of medicine
  • Many species at risk of extinction
• What are antibiotics?

  Substances produced by microorganisms that kill bacteria