18 Questions
What is the role of innate immunity in triggering adaptive immunity?
Providing a rapid, broad defense against pathogens
Which cells are responsible for detecting and engulfing foreign pathogens?
Macrophage
What is the primary function of mast cells in the immune response?
Irritating tissues to expel parasites and pollen
Which type of cells are key in stimulating both T and B cells during the adaptive immune response?
Dendritic cell
What is the main role of activated innate cells during inflammation?
Secreting cytokines to induce local and systemic effects
What are the primary components of the first line of immunity?
Chemical, mechanical, biochemical, microbial, cellular barriers
What is the primary role of dendritic cells in the immune system?
Activating naive T-cells
What is the main function of activated T-cells in the immune system?
Killing infected cells
How do B-cells contribute to the immune response?
Generating antibodies
What is the role of helper T-cells in the immune system?
Stimulating immune responses
Which statement best describes the function of regulatory T-cells?
Suppressing immune responses
What is a common challenge that the immune system has to deal with?
Recognizing self vs foreign
How can pathogens evade the immune system?
By inducing immunosuppression
What is the primary aim of immunotherapies?
To replace immune cells
Which side effect is associated with CAR-T therapy?
Fatal autoimmune reactions
What is the mechanism of checkpoint blockade therapy in cancer treatment?
Blocking 'off switches' on T-cells
What is being explored in immunotherapies to reverse 'exhausted' T-cells back to effector T-cells?
Utilizing checkpoint blockade therapy in macrophages
Which type of cancer is CAR-T therapy most effective against?
Liquid tumors
Study Notes
- Dendritic cells are key players in the immune system, they engage with pathogens, they migrate to lymph nodes and activate naive T-cells.
- Activated T-cells can respond specifically to the pathogen, they mature, proliferate and differentiate into effector T-cells and memory T-cells.
- B-cells, activated by helper T-cells, generate antibodies to neutralize, opsonize and complement pathogens.
- T-cells are a crucial part of the immune system, they are our last line of defense against pathogens and cancer. Effector T-cells kill infected cells and activate other immune cells.
- Helper T-cells stimulate immune responses by activating other immune cells such as B-cells and macrophages. Regulatory T-cells suppress immune responses to prevent autoimmunity.
- The immune system has to deal with various challenges, including recognizing self vs foreign, active vs suppressed, and specific mechanisms to control immune responses.
- Pathogens can evade the immune system by mutating, hiding, or inducing immunosuppression.
- Immunotherapies aim to engineer the "right type of response" rather than a "strong response," using mechanisms such as immunosuppression, immune-stimulation, and full replacement of immune cells.
- CAR-T therapy, a type of immunotherapy, involves engineering a patient's T-cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. It's effective against liquid tumors but less so against solid tumors and can have side effects like cytokine storm, CAR lymphomas, and safety concerns.
- Checkpoint blockade therapy, another type of immunotherapy, uses antibodies to block "off switches" on T-cells, allowing them to attack cancer cells. It has seen great success in solid tumors but can have safety concerns, such as rare fatal autoimmune reactions and variable responses depending on the cancer.
- Immunotherapies using memory T-cells and engineered responses like natural killer cells and checkpoint blockade therapy in macrophages are also being explored. The immune system has a short window of time to reverse "exhausted" T-cells back to effector T-cells before they reach a point of irreversibility.
Test your understanding of the general logic of immunology, which involves multi-layered defense systems, innate and adaptive immunity, and the first line of immunity barriers. Explore the concepts of triggering adaptive immunity and the requirements for innate immunity.
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