Immunology Overview Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the immune system?

To protect the host against foreign substances or invaders (correct)

To produce energy through metabolism

To regulate body temperature

To facilitate nutrient absorption

Which of the following correctly describes a pathogen?

A bodily function that helps maintain homeostasis

A type of immune cell produced by the body

A foreign substance that causes the host to become sick (correct)

A protective protein released by the immune system

Which term refers to immunity that is gained through immunization?

Innate immunity

Adaptive immunity

Artificial immunity (correct)

Natural immunity

What does the term 'immunology' encompass?

The study of the immune system's structure and function Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a form of immunity?

Physical immunity Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes inactivated vaccines?

They may require booster shots. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of vaccine is made from inactivated toxic compounds?

Toxoids Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of genetic vaccines?

They deliver nucleic acids coding for antigens directly into host cells. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following vaccines is likely to provide more durable immune responses?

Live, attenuated vaccines Signup and view all the answers

What type of vaccine is designed to stimulate an immune response without causing infection?

Outer Membrane Vesicle vaccines Signup and view all the answers

What theory was primarily believed to cause diseases like cholera and the black death until the 19th century?

Miasma theory Signup and view all the answers

Who is recognized as the Father of Medicine, and what did he first attribute diseases to?

Hippocrates; imbalance of humors Signup and view all the answers

What significant contribution did Edward Jenner make to immunology?

Smallpox vaccination using cowpox Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was the first known immunotherapy practice?

Drinking blood of animals fed on venomous snakes Signup and view all the answers

What milestone occurred in 1980 concerning smallpox?

Smallpox eradication certified Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of Louis Pasteur’s work led to the development of several vaccines?

Demonstration of germ theory Signup and view all the answers

What is one of Koch's postulates related to the relationship between microorganisms and disease?

The same microorganism should cause the same disease in all hosts. Signup and view all the answers

The first clinical description of immunity involved exposure to which disease?

Smallpox Signup and view all the answers

What is the initial step in establishing a microorganism as a causative agent of disease?

Isolating it from a diseased organism Signup and view all the answers

What type of immunity is characterized by the mother's antibodies being passed to the fetus?

Maternal passive immunity Signup and view all the answers

What defines adaptive immunity?

Involves memory T cells and B cells that target specific pathogens Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of naturally acquired active immunity?

It results from exposure to a live pathogen Signup and view all the answers

Which antibody type is primarily responsible for transfer through the placenta?

IgG Signup and view all the answers

Artificially acquired passive immunity is best described as:

Short-term immunization induced by transferring antibodies Signup and view all the answers

Inflammatory responses and phagocytosis are characteristics of which immune type?

Innate immunity Signup and view all the answers

What can affect the formation of active immunity?

Immunodeficiency and immunosuppression disorders Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Immunology

Immunology is the study of the immune system and its functions.
The immune system is a network of cells, organs, molecules, and pathways that protect against foreign substances.
The main function of the immune system is to protect the host from foreign substances, such as pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria, parasites).

Immunity

Immunity is the state of being resistant to a pathogen or infectious disease.
Immunity can be natural or acquired through exposure or immunization.

History of Immunology

Prehistoric times: Disease was seen as punishment for wrongdoing.
Classical Greek times: Hippocrates attributed disease to imbalance in bodily humors.
First written concept of immunity (430 BC): Those who recovered from the plague in Athens were immune to a second infection.
First immunotherapy (120 BC): Drinking the blood of animals that fed on venomous snakes was believed to induce immunity to snake venom.
First clinical description of immunity (9th century): Exposure to smallpox conferred immunity.
Miasma Theory (until 19th century): The belief that "bad air" caused diseases like cholera and plague persisted.
Variolation (1718): Inhaling or injecting dried smallpox pustules was used to prevent smallpox.
Smallpox "vaccine" (1798): Edward Jenner discovered that exposure to cowpox protected against smallpox.
Smallpox eradication (1980): The World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated.
Germ Theory of Disease (19th century): Louis Pasteur demonstrated that particles in the air could spoil nutrient broth, disproving the Miasma Theory. Pasteur also developed several vaccines.
Koch's Postulates (1880s): Robert Koch established four criteria for proving a specific microorganism causes a disease.

Types of Immunity

Innate Immunity: Present in all metazoans, involves inflammatory responses and phagocytosis.
Adaptive Immunity: More advanced, recognizes specific "non-self" substances in the presence of "self".
Maternal Passive Immunity: Antibodies (MatAb) are transferred from mother to fetus via the placenta during pregnancy, primarily IgG antibodies.
Naturally Acquired Active Immunity: Develops after exposure to a pathogen and leads to immunological memory.
Artificially Acquired Passive Immunity: Short-term immunization obtained by receiving antibodies, often in the form of blood plasma, pooled human immunoglobulin, or monoclonal antibodies (MAb).
Artificially Acquired Active Immunity: Induced by vaccines, which stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against a specific pathogen, without causing disease symptoms.
- Types of vaccines:
  - Inactivated: Composed of killed pathogens.
  - Live, Attenuated: Contains weakened, non-disease causing versions of the pathogen.
  - Toxoids: Contain inactivated toxins produced by the pathogen.
  - Subunit, Recombinant, Polysaccharide, and Conjugate: Use small fragments or pieces of the pathogen.
- Newer types of vaccines:
  - Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) vaccines: Contain only the outer membrane of the bacterium.
  - Genetic vaccines: Deliver nucleic acid coding for an antigen, stimulating an immune response.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of immunology, including the immune system's structure, function, and history. Explore concepts of immunity and its development through time, from prehistoric beliefs to modern immunotherapy.