IMMUNOLOGY

DR. POSSIBILITY
 DEFINATION
 is a branch of
medicine that covers
the medical study of
immune systems in
humans.
enhanced state of
responsiveness to a
specific substance,
induced by prior contact
with that substance
ACQUIRED INNATE
 Also called Natural immunity
 is present from birth
 is nonspecific.
 consists of various barriers to external insults;
 skin, mucous membranes,
 macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils,
 Forms the first line of defence
A WHITE BLOOD CELL TRYING TO FIGHT A FOREIGN BODY
COMPONENTS OF INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Innate immunity consists of:
• Barriers
 Skin, mucous, chemicals, hair,cilia
• Cellular response
• phagocytosis

Phagocytosis consists in recognition and ingestion of

particles larger than 0.5 μm into a plasma membrane
derived vesicle, known as phagosome.
• inflammatory reaction
 occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria,
trauma, toxins, heat, or any other cause.
 COMPONENTS OF INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM

• NK (natural killer) and mast cells

• Soluble factors (Humoral factors)
• Complement such as interferons,
TNF, other cytokines
Makes the first line of defense and predates the
adaptive immune response
Works independent of prior exposure
 Thus, lacks memory response & benefits
Provides protection against a wide variety
of pathogens
Distinguishes self from non-self well
Found in all multi-cellular organisms
 Adaptive immunity is only in vertebrates
Uses ancient gene encoded receptors and
effectors
Defects in innate immunity are very rare
and almost always lethal
COMPONENTS OF INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM

PHYSIOLOGIC BARRIERS
 THE SKIN
Prevents microorganism from
gaining access into the body
 Fatty acids
Low pH (Lactic acid)
Antagonism by normal flora
Salt in sweat
Mucous Membranes
FOUND IN

Respiratory tract
GIT
Urogenital
Eye
Neutrophils
• First line of defense—first cell type that
migrates from the blood to the site of infection.
• Essential for innate immunity against bacteria
and fungi.
• Anti-microbial activity: – Phagocytosis; direct
or by opsonization – Oxidative and nonoxidate
killing
Basophils
• Function in disease, not entirely
understood
• Contains high affinity receptors for IgE,
and preformed granules that contain
inflammatory mediators including:
histamine; heparin; TNFa; chondroitin
sulfate; neutral proteases; and others
Mast cells
• Mast cells can also secrete: cytokines to
induce inflammation; chemokines to induce
infiltration by monocytes, and neutrophils,
leukotriences to induce muscle contraction
and increase vascular permeability
• Mast cells are capable of inducing an
inflammatory cascade
Mononuclear Phagocytes
• Monocytes are immature circulatory forms (1-6%
WBCs)
• Migrate into tissues and are called macrophages
• Have Specialized names based on site
o Meningeal cells (kidney)
o Connective tissue (histocytes)
o Osteoclasts (bone)
o Kupffer cells (Liver)
o Microglia (brain
Macrophages
• May become DCs
• Single nucleus
• Abundant cytoplasm
• Carries out phagocytosis and
digest engulfed material
• May also kill nonengulfed
material
Natural Killer cells (NK cells)
• Large cytotoxic cells (look like large
lymphocytes and contain granules.)
• 10-15% of peripheral blood lymphocytes
• Kill virus-infected and tumor cells (low
MHC I); also Ab coated cells
• Also important in resistance to
intracellular infections with viruses or
bacteria.
Natural Killer cells (NK cells)
• Do not secrete antibodies nor express T cell
receptors (e.g CD3)
• Also called large granular lymphocytes (LGL)
• NK cells kill using perforin
• NK cells do not require a thymus for their
development but have several similarities to
activated CD8 T cells.
• Rapidly produce cytokines upon ligand
recognition.
Dendritic Cells (DCs)
• DCs are highly migratory cells.
• Make up less than 1% of the total
• mononuclear cells.
• Present in their immature form in all tissues.
• DCs act as peripheral sentinels,
• detecting, deciphering and responding to
signs of antigen invasion.
Dendritic Cells (DCs)
• DCs are highly migratory cells.
• Make up less than 1% of the total
mononuclear cells.
• Present in their immature form in all
tissues.
• DCs act as peripheral sentinels,
detecting, deciphering and responding to
signs of antigen invasion
Dendritic Cells (DCs)
• DCs then process antigen, move into
• lymphoid organs where they activate T cells.
• As DCs migrate towards the lymph nodes,
they mature.
• They lose their capacity for endocytosis and
become more immuneogenic (more dendrites
and expressing a higher numbercostimulatory
& MHC peptide molecules).