Immunology

Basic Principles of adaptive Immunity and +Immunization

Learning objectives
To know the different types of adaptive immunity To differentiate immune responses and the different properties of immune responses.

immunology
study of adaptive immunity and how the immune system responds to specific infectious Immunity- ability of an organism to recognize and defend itself against infectious agents Adaptive immunity -ability of a host to mount a defense against particular infectious agents. immune system -consists of various cells that help provide the host with specific immunity to infectious agents

TYPES OF IMMUNITY
Innate immunity -genetic immunity -genetically determined characteristics Adaptive immunity -acquired immunity -obtained in some manner other than by heredity -naturally acquired or artificially acquired. Naturally acquired adaptive immunity -obtained by having a specific disease -antibodies transferred to a fetus across the placenta or to an infant in colostrum and breast milk artificially acquired adaptive immunity -receiving an antigen by the injection of vaccine or immune serum that produces immunity

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE IMMUNITY

Active immunity -when the persons own immune system activates T cells, or produces antibodies. a. Naturally acquired active immunity - person is exposed to an infectious agent. b. Artificially acquired active immunity - person is exposed to a vaccine containing live, weakened, or dead organisms or their toxins vaccine - substance that contains an antigen to which the immune system responds Toxoid -inactivated toxin that is no longer harmful, but retains its antigenic properties.

Passive immunity - created when ready-made antibodies are introduced into the body a. Naturally acquired passive immunity -when antibodies made by a mothers immune system are transferred to her offspring b. Artificially acquired passive immunity -when antibodies made by other hosts are introduced into a new host.

Antisera -antibodies found in the serum portion of the blood Immune serum globulin -consists of pooled gamma globulin fractions from many individuals. Antitoxins -antibodies against specific toxins

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

ANTIGENS -substance the body identifies as foreign - immunogen - protein molecules, polysaccharides, glycoproteins or nucleoproteins epitopes, or antigenic determinants -Where antibodies bind Hapten -act as an antigen if it binds to a larger protein molecule

Antibody - protein produced in response to an antigen - Y-shaped protein molecules -composed of four polypeptide chainstwo identical light (L) chains and two identical heavy (H) chains titer - quantity of a substance needed to produce a given reaction

Classes of immunoglobulins
IgG Antibodies Monomer 80% of serum Abs Fix complement In blood, lymph, and intestine Cross placenta Enhance phagocytosis; neutralize toxins and viruses; protects fetus and newborn Half-life = 23 days

IgM Antibodies Pentamer 510% of serum Abs Fix complement In blood, in lymph, and on B cells Agglutinates microbes; first Ab produced in response to infection Half-life = 5 days

IgA Antibodies Dimer 1015% of serum Abs In secretions Mucosal protection Half-life = 6 days

IgD Antibodies Monomer 0.2% of serum Abs In blood, in lymph, and on B cells On B cells, initiate immune response Half-life = 3 days

IgE Antibodies Monomer 0.002% of serum Abs On mast cells, on basophils, and in blood Allergic reactions; lysis of parasitic worms Half-life = 2 days

CELLS AND TISSUES OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

B lymphocytes, or B cells -Lymphocytes that are processed and mature in tissue -differentiation in bone marrow - lymphoid tissues T lymphocytes, or T cells - Differentiation in thymus four different kinds of T cells: (1) cytotoxic (killer) T cells, (2) delayed-hypersensitivity T cells, (3) helper T cells, and (4) regulatory T cells

natural killer cells (NK cells) -nonspecifically kill cancer cells and cells infected with viruses - affected by interferons Apoptosis -programmed cell death

two major types of immune responses

humoral immunity -carried out by antibodies circulating in the blood - Carried out by B cells. Plasma cells-large lymphocytes that synthesize and release many antibodies

Cell-mediated immunity -carried out by T cells

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF IMMUNE RESPONSES

1. Recognition of Self Versus Nonself Clonal selection hypothesis -explains one way in which the immune system might distinguish self from nonself. 2. Specificity -recognize a vast number of foreign substances as nonself -reacts in a different way to each foreign substance cross-reactions - reactions of a particular antibody with very similar antigens

3. Diversity ability of the immune system to produce many different kinds of antibodies and T cell receptors 4. Memory Recognize substances it has previously encountered anamnestic (secondary) response - prompt response due torecall by memory cells

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESPONSES

primary response -first recognized by host B cells -first antibody IgM -second IgG secondary response -antigen recognized by memory cells enters the blood - Increase IgG