The Immune System

Our bodies defense against foreign invaders!!!

Function

• The purpose of the immune system is to

protect the body against harmful and foreign
invaders
• Foreign invaders can result in diseases
Diseases
A disease is a disruption to normal body functioning

There are two types of disease:

1. noninfectious diseases – cannot be spread from
person to person.
example: cancer, genetic disorders, etc.

2. Infectious diseases – can be spread from one living

thing to another.
example: cold, flu, strep throat, pneumonia, etc.
 Infectious Diseases
• Infectious diseases are spread by
pathogens
• Pathogens are disease causing
organisms (examples: viruses,
bacteria, fungi, protists)
• Pathogens can be spread by air,
contaminated object, from
person to person, animals, and
food and water
Pathogens and Diseases
AGENT DISEASES
(type of pathogen)
Bacteria Tetanus, TB, Typhoid Fever,
Strep Throat, Pneumonia,
Plague
Protists Malaria, African Sleeping
Sickness

Fungi Athlete’s Foot, Ringworm

Viruses Cold, Influenza, AIDS,

Measles, Mumps, Polio,
Smallpox, Chickenpox
 Immune System–
First Line of Defense
• Your immune system’s first line of defense is to
prevent pathogens from entering your body

1. Skin prevents pathogens from entering the

body
o Secretes (releases) oils & sweat that make it
too acidic for many pathogens to grow
o If infected or damaged by pathogens, then
chemicals released by damaged cells may
cause swelling
Immune System–
First Line of Defense
2. Respiratory System: the cilia (hair like
structures) trap pathogens and mucus weakens
pathogens using enzymes

3. Digestive System: Saliva, enzymes,

hydrochloric acid, & mucus all help kill
pathogens
Immune System–
Second Line of Defense
Circulatory System: white blood cells surround
and digest many pathogens
oWhite Blood Cells: Detect anything that is
“non-self” and swallow it, or punch holes in it
oWhen white blood cells cannot destroy
pathogens fast enough you develop a fever
since many pathogens are sensitive to
temperature
Immune System–
Third Line of Defense
• Macrophages: cell
that engulfs
pathogens and other
materials

• T cells: soldier cells

that coordinate the
response and attack
infected cells
 Immune System–
Third Line of Defense
• B cells: cells that make
antibodies against the
pathogen– deactivating the
germ
-antibody: a protein that
binds to the antigen found
on pathogens in order to
destroy the pathogen
-antigen: proteins found on
the membranes of
pathogens
Immune System–
Third Line of Defense
• Memory B Cells: cell that can remember how to
make an antibody against a specific pathogen.
- Stay in body forever, which is why you won’t
get sick from the same illness (“Building your
immune system”)
- If the pathogen shows up again, your body will
have a quicker response and be able to get rid
of it quicker.
What happens when a virus invades?
Page 716-717 (textbook)
 Common symptoms of an
Infection include…

1. Fever: an increase in temperature will cause

the pathogens to grow slower
-also allows T-cells and B-cells to grow faster to
fight illness
2 – Coughing, phlegm, etc.
3 – Diarrhea

*Most symptoms are a way for the body to get rid

of or slow the growth of the pathogens!*
 Treating an Infection
1. Vaccines: substance that helps your body
develop immunity to a disease
• prevent polio, tetanus, hepatitis,
measles, etc.
2. Antibiotics: substance that kills bacteria
or slows the growth of the bacteria; may
also be used to treat fungi
• must take all the antibiotics
prescribed to ensure the pathogens
are killed
• will not treat viruses
3. Antiviral medicines: destroy viruses
within body; very few but more are being
developed