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Innate and Adaptive Immune Defenses - Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (20)

  • What are the two main intrinsic systems of the immune system?
    Innate (nonspecific) defense system and Adaptive (specific) defense system.
  • What constitutes the first line of defense in innate immunity?
    External body membranes such as skin and mucous membranes.
  • Name some protective chemicals produced by skin and mucous membranes.
    Acid (acid mantle), enzymes (lysozyme), mucin, defensins, lipids in sebum, and dermicidin in sweat.
  • How do respiratory system modifications help stop pathogens?
    Mucus-coated hairs trap particles; cilia sweep mucus with trapped dust and bacteria toward the mouth.
  • What triggers the second line of defense in innate immunity?
    Breaches in surface barriers such as nicks or cuts that allow microorganisms to invade deeper tissues.
  • List the main components of the second line of defense.
    Phagocytes, natural killer cells, inflammatory response, antimicrobial proteins, and fever.
  • What are Toll-like receptors (TLRs)?
    Pattern recognition receptors on immune cells that recognize specific classes of microbes and trigger immune responses.
  • What is the role of phagocytes in innate immunity?
    White blood cells that ingest and digest foreign invaders by phagocytosis.
  • Describe the process of phagocytosis.
    Phagocyte adheres to pathogen, engulfs it into a phagosome, fuses with lysosome to form phagolysosome, digests pathogen, and expels waste.
  • What is opsonization?
    Coating of pathogens by antibodies or complement proteins to enhance phagocytosis.
  • What are natural killer (NK) cells and their function?
    Large granular lymphocytes that kill cancer and virus-infected cells by inducing apoptosis before adaptive immunity activates.
  • Name the four cardinal signs of acute inflammation.
    Redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
  • What are the benefits of inflammation?
    Prevents spread of damaging agents, disposes of debris and pathogens, alerts adaptive immunity, and sets stage for repair.
  • What causes redness and heat during inflammation?
    Vasodilation causing hyperemia (increased blood flow) to the injured area.
  • Explain the role of edema in inflammation.
    Fluid containing clotting factors and antibodies leaks into tissue, causing swelling that isolates injured area and delivers immune components.
  • List the steps of phagocyte mobilization during inflammation.
    Leukocytosis, margination, diapedesis, and chemotaxis.
  • What are interferons and their function?
    Proteins released by virus-infected cells that warn neighboring cells and activate NK cells and macrophages.
  • What is the complement system?
    A group of ~20 blood proteins that enhance inflammation, promote phagocytosis, and cause cell lysis of pathogens.
  • How is the complement system activated?
    By classical (antibody binding), lectin (lectin binding sugars), or alternative (spontaneous) pathways.
  • What is the role of fever in innate immunity?
    Systemic response raising body temperature to inhibit microbial growth and increase repair rate.