Lymphocytes/ phagocytes

• When the antibodies on the lymphocytes attach to the specific antigens on the pathogens, the pathogen gets destroyed
• Antigens are unique identifying protein on the surface of a pathogen
• a pathogen is a disease causing microbe
• an antibody is a protein made by white blood cells, that attach to and attack complimentary antigens
• Lymphocytes make antibodies to attack antigens
• What are phagocytes primarily responsible for?

  Removing dead cells and microorganisms
• What is the structure of phagocytes?

  They are large and have a lobed nucleus
• What happens when pathogens invade the body?

  Infected cells release chemicals like histamine
• What do histamines do in the immune response?

  Attract passing phagocytes
• How do antibodies assist phagocytes?

  They attach to surface antigens on pathogens
• What is the role of antibodies in relation to antigens?

  They clump antigens together for easier digestion
• What occurs when a phagocyte engulfs a pathogen?

  The pathogen is trapped within a vacuole
• What happens to the pathogen inside the vacuole?

  Digestive enzymes are secreted to destroy it
• What happens to phagocytes after they kill pathogens?

  They die shortly after
• What forms at the site of infection due to dead phagocytes?

  Pus is formed
• What do phagocytes engulf?

  Bacteria
• What is the process of phagocytosis?

  1. Pathogen invasion triggers histamine release
  2. Histamines attract phagocytes
  3. Antibodies bind to antigens on pathogens
  4. Phagocyte membrane engulfs the pathogen
  5. Pathogen is trapped in a vacuole
  6. Digestive enzymes destroy the pathogen
  7. Phagocyte dies after killing pathogens
  8. Dead phagocytes form pus at infection site
• Antibodies


  Proteins that recognize and bind to specific pathogens, helping to remove them from the body
• What’s a lymphocyte?

  A type of white blood cell