IMMUNOLOGY

The scientific study of the body’s resistance to invasion by

other organism (i.e immunity).
The immune system refers to a collection of cells and
proteins that functions to protect the skin , respiratory
passage, intestinal tract , mucus membrane
• Immune system has two lines
• 1. innate immunity
• 2. adaptive immunity
• Innate immunity is the first immunological, non
specific, mechanism for fighting against an
intruding pathogen . It is rapid immune response,
occuring with in minutes or hours, after
aggression, that has not immunologic memory.
• Adaptive immunity is antigen dependent and
antigen specific. It has the capacity for memory.
Which enables the host to mount a more rapid and
efficient immune response upon subsequent
exposure to the antigen . There is a great deal of
synergy b/n the adaptive immune system and its
innate counter part, and defects, in either system,
can provoke illness, or disease .ex autoimmune
diseases. Immunodeficiency
disease ,hypersensitivity reactions.
 Innate immunity
• The primary function of innate immunity is the recruitment of
immune cells to site of infections, and inflammation, through the
production of cytokines( small proteins, involved in cell-cell
communications).
• Cytokine production leads to the release of antibodies and other
proteins and glycoproteins which activate the complement system, a
biochemical cascade that functions to identify and opsonize(coat)
foreign antigen rendering them susceptible to phagocytosis(process
by which cells engulf microbes and remove cell debris )
• The innate immune response also promote clearance of dead cells
or antibody complexes and remove foreign substances present in
organs, tissues, blood and lymph.
• Numerous cells are involved in the innate
immune responses such as phagocytes
(macrophage and neutrophils), dendritic cells,
mast cells, basophills, eusinophils, natural
killer cells. And lymphocytes (T CELLS).
Phagocytes are divided in to two
• .1. neutrophils 2. macrophages both engulf
microbes
 Characteristics and fxn of cells in innate
immunity
• Dust cells –pulmonary alveoli
• Histocytes -connective tissue
• Kupffer cells – liver
• Microglial cells- neural tissue
• Osteoclast- bones
• Mesangial cells –kidney
• Mast cell and basophils controls mechanism associated
with allergy and asthma.
• NK cells rejections of tumours and destruction of cells
infected with viruses.
 Innate immunity comprizing four types of
defective barrier
• 1. anatomic – skin, mucus membranes
• 2. physiologic –temperature , low ph,
• 3. endocytic and phagocytic
• 4. inflammatory
 Adaptive immunity
• Develops when innate immunity is not
effective in eliminating infective agent .
• The primary functions is the recognition of
specific (non self ) antigens in the presence of
self antigens . Pathogen specific immunologic
effector pathway .agn-antibody