How the Immune System Works

Innate System
- Macrophages- kill by phagocytosis; they give off chemicals…
o that increase blood flow to wound (redness)
o that cause blood vessel cells to contract, creating spaces that allow fluid in capillaries to
leak into tissues (swelling)
o that stimulate nerves (pain)
- Also include complement proteins and NK cells (able to destroy bacteria, parasites, virus
infected cells and cancer cells)

Adaptive Immune System

Designed to protect vertebrates against viruses!
Adapts to specific invaders

Ab & B cells
- Ab: light chain = Ag binding region (Fab); heavy chain = Fc Region
o Fc regions (tails) bind to cells like macrophages, determine Ab class
- Each B cell has thousands of BCR (B cell receptors that are surface Abs) on its surface, but
all receptors on given B cell recognize the same cognate Ag
- When BCR binds conjugate Ag  doubles in size  proliferation  clones! All w/ same
receptors for same Ag. Most clones  plasma B cells which prod Abs into blood and tissue.
- How so much diversity? Mature Ab genes are made by modular design
o On every B cell, in chromosomes that encode Ab heavy chain, there are multiple copies of
4 DNA modules: V, D, J, C  mix & match  diversity
o Light chains also assembled by picking genes segments & pasting together
o When segments joined together, additional DNA bases added/deleted  more diversity
- Ab do not kill… plant the “kiss of death” on invader (tag it for destruction)
- Ab opsonize bacteria and viruses by binding to invader w/ Fab regions, their Fc region
available to bind to Fc R on phagocytes like macrophages
- Viruses are parasites that enter a cell by binding to the cell’s surface R; Ab prevent this by
binding to virus while it is still outside of the cell = neutralizing Ab

T Cells