.Short Answer part 1 A. What are the major components and the purposes of each a
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Question
.Short Answer part 1
A. What are the major components and the purposes of each arm of the immune system; of the innate and adaptive immune responses? (B) How do the adaptive and innate immune systems work together to generate an effective immune response? Be sure to include an example of communication or cooperation between the two.
B. Describe the features of inflammation, focusing on how anaphylatoxins contribute physiologically and the purpose of this response.
C. Examine the figures provided of complement activation. For each, describe the mechanism occuring, using proper names of factors, and describe how each step is relevant to complement activation. Be sure to include a description of the purpose of complement.
Explanation / Answer
Immun system protects the body from potentially harmful substances or any foreign particles or antigens by recognizing and responding to.
Nonspecific defense: Innate immune system
The human body has a series of nonspecific defenses that make up the innate immune system. These defenses are not directed against any one pathogen but instead, provide a guard against all infection.
First line of defense
The body's most important nonspecific defense is the skin, which acts as a physical barrier to keep pathogens out.
Second line of defense
If a pathogen does make it into the body, there are secondary nonspecific defenses that take place. When a pathogen has invaded, the immune system may also release chemicals that increase body temperature, producing a fever. Increased body temperature may slow or stop pathogens from growing and helps speed up the immune response.
The innate defense consists of several elements/ components:
Purposes of this arm of the immune system:
Consists of barriers that keep harmful materials from entering your body.
Specific defense: the adaptive immune system
When pathogens are able to bypass innate immune defenses, the adaptive immune system is activated. Develops when the body is exposed to an antigen and builds a defense that is specific to that antigen.
Major components:
The main cells of the immune system are lymphocytes known as B cells and T cells. B cells are produced and mature in bone marrow. T cells are also produced in bone marrow, but they mature in the thymus.
B. When pathogens are able to bypass innate immune defenses, the adaptive immune system is activated. The closed surface of the skin and of all mucous membranes already forms a mechanical barrier for pathogens, which prevents them from entering. Additionally, chemical substances like acid, enzymes or mucus prevent the bacteria or viruses from gaining a foothold. Movements created, for example, by hair-like structures in the bronchi (cilia) or by bowel muscles stop germs from settling in the body. Tear fluid, sweat, or urine rinsing the urinary organs all have a similar effect.The closed surface of the skin and of all mucous membranes already forms a mechanical barrier for pathogens, which prevents them from entering. Additionally, chemical substances like acid, enzymes or mucus prevent the bacteria or viruses from gaining a foothold. Movements created, for example, by hair-like structures in the bronchi (cilia) or by bowel muscles stop germs from settling in the body. Tear fluid, sweat, or urine rinsing the urinary organs all have a similar effect.
If, despite all obstacles, pathogens make it past the skin or mucous membranes and enter the body, the innate system’s second line of defense comes into action. Inflammatory cells move to the site of infection, or defense cells that are already there are activated. Soluble protein substances of the complement system are activated, too, and help to defend the body. This leads to an inflammatory reaction where blood circulation is increased and the affected area becomes swollen and hot. Sometimes there is also a fever. If bacteria or viruses manage to enter the body they can be eliminated directly on the spot by scavenger cells or phagocytes.
Two types of defense cells are the most effective ones: macrophages, which are found in the tissue, and neutrophil granulocytes, which are in the blood and tissue.
So at this point, antibodies of the adaptive immune system support the innate defense. Vice versa, the scavenger cells can help the adaptive immune system by taking up and digesting the marked pathogens very quickly.
B. Clinically, acute inflammation is characterized by 5 cardinal signs: rubor (redness) due to dilation of vessels, calor (increased heat due to increased blood flow), tumor (swelling due to extravascular accumulation of fluid), dolor (pain due to increased pressure exerted by the accumulation of interstitial fluid and to mediators such as bradykinin), and functio laesa (loss of function).
Anaphylatoxins, or complement peptides, are fragments (C3a, C4a and C5a) that are produced as part of the activation of the complement system. Mast cell degranulation is the important result of acute inflammation. Its activation produces factors that can destroy pathogens directly or can activate or increase activity of many other components of the inflammatory and adaptive immune response.
Complement activates C3 and C5 which results in activation of a variety of molecules and opsonins, chemotactic factors, anaphylatoxins.
c. Activation of complement components C5b-C9 create the membrane attack complex (or MAC) which results in a complex that creates pores in the outer membranes of cells or bacteria. Pores disrupt the cell's membrane and permit water to enter, causing the cell to burst and die or at least prevent its reproduction.
Activation C3a (anaphylatoxin) which induces degranulation of mast cells. Activation of C3b cause opsonin and can bind to the surface of cells, such as bacteria, and either serve as an opsonin for phagocytes, or proteolitically activate the next component of the complement cascade, C5.
C5a is a powerful anaplylatoxin, and is also chemotactic for neutrophils. Whereas C5b activates the components of the membrane attack complex (MAC), which are C5-C9, which then damages the bacterial membrane.
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