IMMUNITY

 Immunity is the ability of the body to resist

almost all types of organisms or their toxins
that tend to damage tissues & organs
 It also includes protection against non-living
foreign matter & cancer cells
 Immunity protects the body against
infection by bacteria, viruses, fungi and
other parasites and against non-living
foreign matter
 They also destroy cancer cells
 Immunity can be classified into 2 categories
 Innate or non-specific immunity
 Acquired or specific immunity
Innate Immunity
 It is the resistance an individual possesses
by virtue of his genetic or constitutional
make up
 Features – It is inborn. It is already present.
It is ready made. It is non-specific. It is
effective against all without recognizing the
identity of the invader
Features of innate immunity
 It is inborn.
 It is already present.
 It is ready made.
 It is non-specific.
 It is effective against all without recognizing
the identity of the invader
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Mechanical barriers
 Provided by intact skin and mucosa
 Very few organisms can penetrate intact skin
 Mucous membrane is protected by a layer of
mucus which contains antimicrobial agents
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Surface secretions – important mechanism
of innate immunity
 Sweat, sebaceous and lachrymal glands all
secrete anti-microbial agents
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Phagocytic system of the body
 Professional phagocytes – neutrophils,
monocytes & macrophages – very important
in innate immunity. They provide immunity
against all types of microbes
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Complement system
 Family of plasma proteins
 They kill microbes
 They get activated in response to infection
 The final activated complex (lytic complex or
membrane attack complex) cause lysis of
microbes
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Inflammation
 Body’s local response to infection or injury
 It is a protective reaction against microbes &
injury
Mechanism of innate immunity
 NK cells
 These are large granulated lymphocytes
 Particularly active against tumor cells
 Protect also against virus inf
Mechanism of innate immunity
 Interferon
 Secreted by cells in response to infection by
viruses
 Interferon non-specifically inhibits viral replication
Acquired immunity
 Acquired Immunity
 Is the resistance an individual develops
during life
 This develops as a result of antigenic
stimulus
 This immunity is specific & extremely
powerful
Acquired Immunity
 Acquired immunity is not present at birth
 Body acquires immunity to specific antigen
only when body has been exposed to that
antigen
Acquired Immunity
 Lymphocytes are the effector cells of
acquired immunity

 i.e. lymphocytes are responsible for

immune response
Antigen
 Antigen is a sub that is foreign to the
normal body & induces an immune
response
 Definition of antigen - Any foreign molecule
regardless of its location or function that
can induce a specific immune response
against itself
 Antigens are usually proteins
 But some are polysaccharides or nucleic
acids
 Antigens invade the body as invading
microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi etc)
through air, food, injured skin or mucous
membrane
 New protein produced by cancer cells, virus
infected cells or transplanted tissues are
also antigens
 Functionally lymphocytes are divided into 2
classes
 T-lymphocytes
 B-lymphocytes
 T-lymphocytes responsible for cellular
immunity
 B-lymphocytes responsible for humoral
immunity
Humoral immunity
 Mediated by B-lymphocytes through
production of antibodies
 Production of antibody is particularly
important against acute bacteria infections
Cellular immunity
 Mediated by T-lymphocytes through direct
contact with antigen & liberation of
cytokines
 Important for protection against
microorganisms that reside & multiply
within cells, ex. virus infection
CELLULAR IMMUNITY
Mediated by T-lymphocytes
 CELLULAR IMMUNITY
 Mediated by T-lymphocytes through direct
contact and liberation of factors called
cytokines
 T-lymphocytes play a key role initiation,
maintenance & control of immune response
 CELLULAR IMMUNITY
 This immunity is responsible for protection
against
 Viruses
 Fungi
 TB
 Graft rejection
 Protection against cancer cells
 Delayed hypersensitivity
 CELLULAR IMMUNITY
 There are 3 major substance-types of
T-lymphocytes
 Cytotoxic T-cells
 Helper T-cells
 Suppressor T-cells
Cytotoxic T-cells, also called Killer cells
 Roam through tissues
 When it encounters target antigen it
immediately destroys it
 Destruction is brought about in one of three
ways
 They release substances called
PERFORINS. These rupture cell
membrane
 They secrete poisonous lymphotoxins
which kill antigens
 It causes apoptosis – genetically
programmed cell death
Helper T-cells

 Are regulators of immune response

 They stimulate cell mediated and humoral
immunity & coordinate specific & non-
specific immunity
T-cell functions
 The stimulate maturation of cytotoxic T-
cells
 They stimulate non-specific immunity
 They attract & stimulate activity of NK cells
 They promote B-lymphocytes maturation&
division, maturation of plasma cells &
antibody production.
Suppressor T-cells
 They inhibit both cellular & humoral
immunity
 Depress the responses of B-cells & T-cells
& moderate immune responses
 The secrete suppressor factors
 They put on brakes & limit the degree of
immune reponse
Memory T-cells
 Remain dormant
 If they encounter the same antigen they will
immediately differentiate into killer cells
 And produce a rapid, swift, effector
response
 This will destroy antigen before it can
estabvlish in tissues.
HUMORAL IMMUNITY
Mediated by B-lymphocytes
 B-cells have receptors on their surface for a
specific antigen
 When that specific antigen binds to that
receptor the cell is stimulated
 B-lymphocytes divide
 Daughter cells are transformed into plasma
cells
 Plasma cells secrete large quantities of
antibodies into the circulation
 Antibodies circulate in the γ fraction of
plasma proteins and are called gamma
globulins (immunoglobulins)
 Helper T-cells promote
 B-cell activation
 Stimulate B-cell division
 Accelerate plasma cell formation
 Accelerate antibody formation by B-cells
 Antibodies
 Plasma cells synthesize & secrete
antibodies into the interstitial fluid
 A plasma cell can secrete 100 million
antibodies per hour
 Antibody is the major defense aagainst
bacteria, viruses & toxins
Antibodies - Immunoglobulins

 Products of plasma cells (activated B-cells)

 They carry out the effector functions of

humoral immunity
Antibodies - Immunoglobulins
 Chemically they are glycoproteins
 Each antibody contains 4 polypeptide
chains – 2 long & 2 short
 Long chains are called heavy chains
 Short chains are called light chains
Antibodies - Immunoglobulins
 5 general types of antibodies are produced
by the B-lymphocytes-plasma cell system
 IgG
 IgM

 IgA

 IgD

 IgE
IgG
 Main antibody in the body
 Accounts for approximately 70% of total
serum antibodies
 Only antibody capable of crossing the
placenta
 Main antibody against infection against
microbes in tissues
 Plays a central role in opsonization
IgM
 It is a pentamer
 Has 10 antigen binding sites
 Main in intravascular antibody
 Very effective in activating immune sys
IgA
 20% of total serum antibodies
 Found in saliva, tears, colostrum, intestinal
juice, bile, respiratory secretions,& glands
 Responsible for mucosal immunity
IgD
 Function may be regualting maturation of
B-cells

IgE
 High affinity for mast cells & basophils
 Important role in immunity against helminthic
infections
Antibodies - Immunoglobulins
Antibodies - Immunoglobulins Several ways
in which antibodies get rid of antigens
 Neutralization  Attraction phagocyte
 Agglutination  Opsonization
 Precipitation
 Complement activation