IMMUNITY

 Body Defenses: Resistance To Microbial Disease

 First Line of Defense/External Defense System

-composed of structural barriers that prevent most infectious agents from entering the body.
a) unbroken skin
b) mucosal membrane surfaces
c) normal flora
d) mucus adhering to the
e) mucus of the nose and nasopharynx
f) sebum (oil)
g) lactic acid
h) earwax (cerumen)
i) elimination of liquid and solid wastes
j) acidity and alkalinity of the fluids of the stomach and intestinal tract
k) acidity of the vagina
l) cilia of the lungs
m) tears
n) saliva
 Second Line of Defense: Natural Immunity
Stevens
-the ability of the individual to resist infection by means of normally present body functions.
-considered non-adaptive or non-specific and are the same for all pathogens or foreign substances to
which one is exposed.
-no prior exposure is required, and the response does not change with subsequent exposure.
Turgeon
-one of the ways that the body resists infection after microorganisms have penetrated the first line of
defense.
a) Inflammation
b) Phagocytosis
c) Acute Phase Reactants
d) Complement proteins
 Third Line of Defense: Adaptive Immunity
Stevens
-resistance that is characterized by specificity for each individual pathogen, or microbial agent, and the
ability to remember a prior exposure, which results in an increased response upon repeated exposure.
Turgeon
-more recently evolved mechanism that allows the body to recognize, remember, and respond to a
specific stimulus, an antigen.

JGLP, RMT | 1
-can result in the elimination of microorganisms and recovery from disease and the host often acquires a
specific immunologic memory

 Humoral-Mediated Immunity

-specific antibodies have been formed to antigenic stimulation, they are available to protect the body
against foreign substances.
 Natural Active immunity can be acquired by natural exposure in response to an infection or natural
series of infection.
 Artificial Active immunity acquired through intentional injection of an antigen.
 Natural Passive immunity acquired by the fetus through the transfer of antibodies by the maternal
placental circulation in utero during the last 3 months of pregnancy.
 Artificial Passive immunity is achieved by the infusion of serum or plasma containing high
concentrations of antibody or lymphocytes from an actively immunized individual.

 Cell-Mediated Immunity

- consists of immune activities that differ from antibody-mediated immunity.

- Lymphocytes are the unique bearers of immunologic specificity, which depends on their antigen
receptors.
- B lymphocyte can probably respond to a native antigenic determinant of the appropriate fit.
- T lymphocyte responds to antigens presented by other cells in the context of major histocompatibility
complex (MHC) proteins.
 Neutrophils
 Eosinophils
 Basophils
 Mast cells
 Tissue Macrophage
 Dendritic cells

 Comparison of Innate and Adaptive Immunity

 Innate Immune System

-appeared before the adaptive immune system
-mechanisms of innate immunity (e.g., phagocytes) and the alternative complement pathways are
activated immediately after infection and quickly begin to control multiplication of infecting
microorganisms
 Adaptive Immune System
-organized around two classes of cells, T and B lymphocytes
-Clonal selection is when an individual lymphocyte encounters an antigen that binds to its unique
antigen receptor site, activation and proliferation of that lymphocyte occur

JGLP, RMT | 2
  Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns and Pattern Recognition Receptors (PAMPs)
-molecules associated with groups of pathogens that are recognized by cells of the innate immune
system. PRRs are found in plants and animals.

 Pattern Recognition Receptors

Three groups of PRRs exist:
1. Secreted PRRs
-are molecules that circulate in blood and lymph; circulating proteins bind to PAMPs on the surface of
many pathogens. This interaction triggers the complement cascade, leading to the opsonization of the
pathogen and its speedy phagocytosis.
2. Phagocytosis receptors
-are cell surface receptors that bind the pathogen, initiating a signal leading to the release of effector
molecules (e.g., cytokines). Macrophages have cell surface receptors that recognize PAMPs containing
mannose.
3. Toll-like receptors (TLRs)
-are a set of transmembrane receptors that recognize different types of PAMPs. TLRs are found on
macrophages, dendritic cells, and epithelial cells.

JGLP, RMT | 3