ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (LECTURE) IMMUNE SYSTEM MIDTERMS 4/4

IMMUNE SYSTEM *Granular white blood cells contains numerous

granules in the cytoplasm, & their nuclei are lobed.
*Agranular white blood cells have few or no granules
REVIEW OF INTRODUCTORY
in the cytoplasm & have a large spherical nucleus.
PROCESSES:
b. Thymus:
I. ORGANIZATION OF THE IMMUNE  large during infancy, starts to atrophy at puberty,
SYSTEM and atrophied at adulthood (the reason why
adults have compromised immune system)
A. PRIMARY DEFENSES
 stores T cells
a. Bone marrow:
 site of hemopoeisis

 highly vascularized CT located b/n trabeculae of
the spongy bone tissue
 Present in the embryo and fetus (for the embryo,
it is found in the yolk sac, which acts as a source
of nutrition because it contains derivatives of the
bone marrow)
 mesenchymal cells

B. SECONDARY DEFENSES
a. Spleen
 large mass of lymphatic tissue
 parenchymic tissue
Two kinds:
1. white pulp- reservoir B and T cells
2. red pulp- supplied by blood vessels; 3 functions:
a. destroy worn out cells
b. storage of platelet
c. site for blood transfusion (hemopoeisis/
hematopoiesis)

 called as purpotent because they are primitive,

precursors that undergo cell differentiation
 Myeloid blast- “building” cells
 eosinophils- high levels= allergic reactions,
parasitic infestations
 basophils- high levels= bacterial/ viral infestation
 neutrophils- high levels= bacterial/ viral
infestation
 Macrophages- “scavengers”
 B cells can differentiate as memory cells, plasma,
ans etc.
b. Lymph nodes
 B cells kill the antibody; T cells help in doing so
 first site of infectious process

1
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (LECTURE) IMMUNE SYSTEM MIDTERMS 4/4

 500-600 distributed in the body

 bean-shaped
 1-25 mm
 small, rounded mass of tissue from which lymph
fluid drains (liquid form that flows throughout
the lymphatic systems)
 functions:
a. removal of foreign material before it enters the
blood stream
b. serves as center for proliferation and response
of immune cells
 Diseases:
a. Lymphadenitis- inflammation of the lymph
nodes
b. Lymphadenopathy- “bulging” lymph nodes

c. Tonsils
Form a ring of lymphoid tissue around the entrance
to the pharynx

1. Palatine Tonsils- located on both sides of the

posterior oral cavity
-largest and the most often infected
2. Pharyngeal Tonsils- found in the posterior wall
of the nasopharynx
-adenoids (enlarges) when infected
3. Lingual Tonsils- lie at the base of the tongue

d. Appendix
Found at the terminal end of the cecum that drains
the intestinal chime

REVIEW OF FUNCTIONS:
M-A-L-T: -Leukocytosis
-Leukopenia
 Consists of group of lymph tissue found in many
-V, R
organs of the body that work together to promote
-WBC production
an immune response
-increased sensitivity of WBC membranes:
 found on respiratory and digestive tracts
-complement
 protect the organs for which they serve -antimicrobial plasma CHON
2
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (LECTURE) IMMUNE SYSTEM MIDTERMS 4/4

A. Granulocytes- large granules differentiated on -largest blood cell

stains -phagocytic
1. Neutrophils -3-9% circulating leukocytes
-54-62% of leukocytes
-phagocytic and motile 2. Lymphocytes
-initial stage a. Non T – Non B: a.1. Null cells, a.2. Natural Killer
cells.

b. T cells and B cells- non phagocytic but occurs in

LT; T cells do not produce Ab

B cells:
-carries immunoglobulin: specificity and affinity
-Ag - Ab reaction (outpouring of Ig’s)
-B cells activated- “clonal selection”
- “clonal expansion”
-cytokines
-Ab producing plasma cells
-long lived memory cells
-enhance response to Ag

2. Eosinophils
-phagocytic
-Major functions:
a. parasitic worm infection
b. hypersensitivity reactions
-1-3% circulating leukocytes

3. Basophils
-fewer granules
-histamine
-heparin
-serotonin
-1% of leukocytes

B. Agranulocytes
1. Monocytes to Macrophages

3
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (LECTURE) IMMUNE SYSTEM MIDTERMS 4/4

T cells/ T lymphocytes:
-assist B cells- Ig
-Lymphokines

Classes of T cells:
1. Helper T cells (CD4)
- recognize Ag to surface of macrophage
-activate the macrophage
-proliferates and differentiates:
Th1
Macro, NK, CD 8
Th2
Memory cells

2. cytotoxic cells (CD 8)

- precursors to…
-CTL- recognize and kill target cells that are non self
cells

-Target cells
-endogenous Ag
-Tumor cells
-transplanted foreign tissues
-After attack
-CTL attaches to target cells
-release of perforin
-cell death

3. Regulatory cells
-5-10%
-secretes cytokines
-function are not clearly defines:
a. particularly, modify inflammation
b. regulate response to urban rejection
c. regulate autoimmune defense