Immune System

Immune System
Fundamental Question: How does the body protect itself from the
microorganisms and the environment?
Objective: Describe, explain and model the primary components and
functions of the immune system.

The immune system has two components

Innate: Non-specific, keeps out or attacks all
pathogens

Adaptive: Specific and able to adapt to new threats

The innate immune system.

Skin
Hair
Mucous glands
Competition from good bacteria
Lipid and mucus secretions
How does each of these keep your body pathogen free?

First line of defense: Barriers

The skin acts as a barrier keeping pathogens out
Oils on your skin can trap bacteria or may be slightly acidic disfavoring
bacterial growth
Mucus and mucus membranes trap bacteria and may kill them
through acidity or by containing enzymes that destroy bacteria
Earwax is an important physical barrier against pathogens
Symbiotic and commensal microorganisms that live on your body can
outcompete potential invaders

Second line of defense: Inside the body

The pH in the stomach is low enough to kill most microorganisms
Competition from good bacteria
Leukocytes or white blood cells
Inflammatory response

Leukocytes
Leukocytes are formed in the bone marrow and are in charge of attacking
pathogens
There are five types of Leukocytes
Neutrophils: After maturing they move into extravascular tissue, they are
very abundant and will move to where pathogens are present and
phagocyte them.
Eosinophils: Are also phagocytic but defend primarily against worms and
parasites.
Basophils: Least abundant and responsible for allergic reaction.
Monocytes: Circulate in the bloodstream until they are needed and mature
into macrophages.
Natural Killer Cells: Kill somatic cells that are infected or cancerous.

Inflammatory
response
When there is an injury chemical signals
(chemokines) cause increased blood flow,
reddening, heat and pain.
Mast cells release histamine.
Neutrophils will be the first to arrive and attack
pathogens
Proteins and enzymes will also assist in attacking
pathogens.

The adaptive immune system

Slow to act, needs to adapt
Can remember specific
pathogens
Systemic
It involves humoral immunity
and cell mediated defenses
It works by identifying antigens

Humoral response
B lymphocytes are the primary
components of humoral response.
They mature in bone marrow.
They have membrane bound
antibodies, each one has unique
antibodies.
When they encounter a pathogen
it replicates quickly, some daughter
cells become memory cells, most
fight the infection.
These cells produce enormous
amount of antibodies.

Antibodies bind to pathogens,

overwhelming them or causing
several of them to clump together,
limiting their movement. This
makes their capture by
macrophages easier.
Vaccines work by introducing a
pathogen and allowing memory
cells to recognize it, granting
immunity.

Cell mediated response

When a somatic cells are
invaded by pathogens or
become cancerous, cell
mediated response is activated.
Phagocytes leave behind
proteins called major
histocombatibility complexes
(MHC)
Body cells also have a specific
MHC

T cells are made in the marrow

but mature in the thymus.
Helper T Cells signal when a cell
needs to be destroyed
If the MHC combination of a cell
indicates that it is infected,
natural killer cells will induce
apoptosis in that cell.
A malfunction in recognition of
MHC is the cause of
autoimmune disease.

Resources
Lecture on the immune system
Khan Academy lectures on the
immune system

Crash Course video on the

immune System

Crash course AP video of the

immune system
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3