Introduction to Immunology

Overview of Immunology

• Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects the body against disease-causing organisms and other foreign substances.
• The immune system consists of two main branches:
  1. Innate immunity: provides immediate, non-specific defense against infection.
  2. Adaptive immunity: provides long-term, specific defense against infection.

Key Cells and Molecules

• White blood cells (WBCs): defend the body against infection and disease.
  • Neutrophils: engulf and digest foreign particles and bacteria.
  • Lymphocytes: produce antibodies to fight infection.
  • Monocytes: mature into macrophages, which engulf and digest foreign particles.
• Antigens: substances that trigger an immune response.
• Antibodies: proteins produced by B cells to neutralize or remove pathogens.
• Cytokines: signaling molecules that coordinate immune responses.

Immune Response

• Recognition: the immune system recognizes pathogens through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs).
• Activation: immune cells are activated to respond to pathogens.
• Elimination: the immune system eliminates the pathogen through various mechanisms (e.g., phagocytosis, antibody production).
• Memory: the immune system remembers specific pathogens, allowing for a more rapid response upon re-exposure.

Immune Disorders

• Immunodeficiency: the immune system is impaired, making the body more susceptible to infection (e.g., HIV/AIDS).
• Autoimmune disorders: the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus).
• Allergies: the immune system overreacts to harmless substances (e.g., pollen, peanuts).
• Transplant rejection: the immune system rejects transplanted organs or tissues.

Immunological Techniques

• Vaccination: introduces a small, harmless piece of a pathogen to stimulate an immune response, providing immunity.
• Immunotherapy: uses the immune system to fight disease (e.g., cancer, autoimmune disorders).
• Immunodiagnostic tests: detect and measure immune responses (e.g., ELISA, Western blot).

Overview of Immunology

• Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects the body against disease-causing organisms and other foreign substances.

Immune System

• The immune system consists of two main branches:
• Innate immunity provides immediate, non-specific defense against infection.
• Adaptive immunity provides long-term, specific defense against infection.

Key Cells and Molecules

• White blood cells (WBCs) defend the body against infection and disease.
• Neutrophils engulf and digest foreign particles and bacteria.
• Lymphocytes produce antibodies to fight infection.
• Monocytes mature into macrophages, which engulf and digest foreign particles.
• Antigens are substances that trigger an immune response.
• Antibodies are proteins produced by B cells to neutralize or remove pathogens.
• Cytokines are signaling molecules that coordinate immune responses.

Immune Response

• The immune system recognizes pathogens through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs).
• Immune cells are activated to respond to pathogens.
• The immune system eliminates the pathogen through various mechanisms (e.g., phagocytosis, antibody production).
• The immune system remembers specific pathogens, allowing for a more rapid response upon re-exposure.

Immune Disorders

• Immunodeficiency occurs when the immune system is impaired, making the body more susceptible to infection (e.g., HIV/AIDS).
• Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus).
• Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to harmless substances (e.g., pollen, peanuts).
• Transplant rejection occurs when the immune system rejects transplanted organs or tissues.

Immunological Techniques

• Vaccination introduces a small, harmless piece of a pathogen to stimulate an immune response, providing immunity.
• Immunotherapy uses the immune system to fight disease (e.g., cancer, autoimmune disorders).
• Immunodiagnostic tests detect and measure immune responses (e.g., ELISA, Western blot).