Lecture 01, 2

• What is the primary role of the immune system?

  Protection from disease
• What does the immune system remove from the body?

  Dead and dying cells
• What is the function of the immune system's surveillance system?

  Recognition, activation, and effector lymphocytes
• What are the physical barriers of the immune system?

  • Skin
  • Mucus (traps pathogens)
  • Cilia (pushes material)
  • Tears (contain lysosomes)
  • Urine (prevents attachment)
  • Sweat glands (produce anti-microbial compounds)
• What is the role of mucus in the immune system?

  Traps pathogens
• What do tears contain that aids in immunity?

  Lysosomes
• How do sweat glands contribute to the immune system?

  By producing anti-microbial compounds
• What is the lifespan of neutrophils?

  2-3 days
• What percentage of white blood cells are neutrophils?

  70%
• What attracts neutrophils into tissue?

  Chemotactic factors
• From which cells are neutrophils produced?

  Myeloblast stem cells
• What is the role of eosinophils in the immune system?

  Engaging with parasites
• What percentage of white blood cells are basophils?

  Less than 2%
• What is the primary function of basophils?

  Involved in allergic reactions
• What is the role of macrophages in the immune system?

  Involved in tissue granuloma
• What do monocytes differentiate into?

  Macrophages and dendritic cells
• What is the function of complement proteins?

  • Cascade of plasma proteins
  • Coat microorganisms
  • Opsonise cells
• Where are mast cells found?

  In connective tissue
• What do mast cells release to increase blood flow?

  Histamine
• What are the key processes involved in acute inflammation?

  • Phagocytosis
  • Opsonisation
  • Chemotaxis
• What do phagosomes fuse with during phagocytosis?

  Lysosomes
• What are pro-inflammatory cytokines?

  Cytokines that promote inflammation
• What is the function of TNF-α in inflammation?

  Increases permeability for swelling
• What does IL-1 stimulate in the CNS?

  Production of fever
• What does IL-6 act on in the liver?

  Production of acute phase proteins
• What are the early events in the innate immune response?

  • Phagocytosis
  • Cell and protein activation
  • Increased vascular permeability
  • Recruitment of cells
  • Increased WBC production
• What do receptors on phagocytes respond to?

  Specific ligands
• What are Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs)?

  Ligands that receptors engage with
• What do Toll-like receptors recognise?

  Bacterial lipoprotein and peptidoglycan
• What are the systemic effects of cytokines on the brain?

  • Fever
  • Tiredness
  • Loss of appetite
• What do acute phase proteins do in the liver?

  Increase during inflammation
• What is the role of immunisation in the immune response?

  Enhances response due to memory cells
• What is the lag phase in immunisation?

  Time before antibodies appear
• What immunoglobulin is mostly present in the primary response?

  IgM
• What determines the class of an antibody?

  Heavy chain
• What immunoglobulin is mostly present in the secondary response?

  IgG
• What is an antigen?

  Substance that binds to an antibody
• What is an epitope?

  Portion of an antigen recognised by an antibody
• What is an allergen?

  Antigen that elicits an allergic reaction
• What are the functions of antibodies?

  • Neutralisation
  • Agglutination
  • Complement activation
  • Opsonisation
  • NK cell activation