ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

CITY OF ILAGAN CAMPUS

Department of Arts and Sciences
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY

IMMUNOLOGY

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR., RN, MSN, LPT.

OBJECTIVES:
AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, THE STUDENTS SHALL BE
ABLE TO:

1. DEFINE THE BASIC CONCEPTS, TERMINOLOGIES IN

IMMUNOLOGY
2. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNOLOGY FOR HUMAN
HEALTH
3. OUTLINE THE BASIC PRINCIPLES O FIMMUNE RESPONSES
AND THE TIMESCALES IN WHICH THEY OCCUR
 INTRODUCTION TO IMMUNOLOGY
Immunology - is the study of host defense mechanisms.

Immunity - is the ability of the host to protect itself against

foreign organisms.
The immune system comprises the tissues, cells & molecules
which mount the immune response.
Immunogenicity is the capacity to induce an
immune response by foreign, complex, high
molecular weight compounds

Antigenicity is the ability to bind to Ig or

immune cells; an immune response need not
result
IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNOLOGY FOR
HUMAN HEALTH

THE IMMUNE
SYSTEM 1. Persistent or fatal
infections
WHAT HAPPENS
2. Allergy
WHEN IT GOES
WRONG? 3. Autoimmune disease
4. Transplant rejection
WHAT IS IT FOR?
1. To identify and eliminate harmful “non-self”
microorganisms and harmful substances such as
toxins, by distinguishing “self” from “non-self”
proteins or by identifying “danger” signals (e.g. from
inflammation)
2. The immune system has to strike a balance between
clearing the pathogen and causing accidental damage
to the host (immunopathology
 BASIC
1. The
PRINCIPLES
Innate Immune System works rapidly
(within minutes) and has broad specificity

2. The Adaptive Immune System takes longer

(days) and has exisite specificity
 GENERATION TIMES AND
EVOLUTION
1. BACTERIA – minutes
2. VIRUSES - Hours
3. HOST – Years
4. The pathogen replicates and hence evolves millions of times faster than the
host, therefore the host relies on a flexible and rapid immune response
5. Out most polymorphic (variable) genes, such as HLA and KIR, are those
that control the immune system, and these have been selected for by
infectious diseases
PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNE RESPONSES AND
THE TIMESCALES IN WHICH THEY OCCUR

IFN: Interferon (innate immunity)

NK: Natural Killer cells (innate immunity)
CTL: Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (acquired
immunity)
 INNATE IMMUNITY
ANATOMICAL BARRIERS

- Skin as a mechanical barrier- keeps out 95% of

household germs while IN TACT
- Mucus membrane in respiratory and GI tract
traps microbes
- Cilial propulsion on epithelia cleans lungs of
invading microorganisms
 INNATE IMMUNITY
PHYSIOLOGICAL
BARRIERS
- Low PH
- Secretion of lysozyme, e.g. in tears
- Interferons
- Antimicrobial peptides
- Complement; responsible for lysing
microorganisms
 ACUTE-PHASE INFLAMMATORY
RESPONSE
AN INNATE RESPONSE TO TISSUE
DAMAGE
- Rise in body temperature, i.e. the fever response
- This is followed by increased production of a number of proteins (acute-
phase proteins), mainly by the liver. Includes:
- C-reactive protein
- Serum amyloid protein
- Mannan-binding lectin
 CYTOKINES

- Small proteins that carry messages from one cell to another

- E.g. to stimulate activation or proliferation of lymphocytes
- “kick-start”acquired immune response
- Send messages to other cells, e.g. to kill or secrete
 GRANULAR LEUKOCYTES
NATURAL KILLER (NK) CELLS

- Identify and kill virus-infected and tumor cells

- Complex recognition system- recognize HLA molecule
of virus infected cell or tumour, and kill them
 GRANULAR LEUKOCYTES
MACROPHAGES

- Mononuclear phagocytes
- To main functions:
1. “garbage disposal”
2. Present foreign cells to immune system
 GRANULAR LEUKOCYTES
GRANULOCYTES