The Immune System
Immunity, Immune System,
Immuno-responses
INNATE IMMUNITY
(all animals)
• Recognition of traits shared
by broad ranges of
pathogens, using a small
set of receptors
• Rapid response
ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY
(vertebrates only)
• Recognition of traits
specific to particular
pathogens, using a vast
array of receptors
• Slower response
Pathogens
(such as bacteria,
fungi, and viruses)
Barrier defenses:
Skin
Mucous membranes
Secretions
Internal defenses:
Phagocytic cells
Natural killer cells
Antimicrobial proteins
Inflammatory response
Humoral response:
Antibodies defend against
infection in body fluids.
Cell-mediated response:
Cytotoxic cells defend
against infection in body cells.
The Lymphatic System
How cells recognize self from nonself:

Glycoproteins
Glycolipids
Figure 42.17

Plasma 55% Cellular elements 45%

Constituent Major functions Cell type Number per μL Functions

(mm3) of blood
Water Solvent for Leukocytes (white blood cells) 5,000– Defense
carrying other 10,000 and
substances immunity

Ions (blood Osmotic balance, Separated

Lymphocytes
electrolytes) pH buffering, blood Basophils
Sodium and regulation elements
Potassium of membrane
Calcium permeablity
Magnesium Eosinophils
Chloride
Bicarbonate

Plasma proteins Neutrophils Monocytes

Albumin Osmotic
balance, Platelets 250,000–400,000 Blood
pH buffering clotting
Fibrinogen Clotting
Immunoglobulins Defense Erythrocytes (red blood 5–6 million Transport
(antibodies) cells) of O2 and
some CO2
Substances transported by blood
Nutrients
Waste products
Respiratory gases
Hormones
Phagocytosis
Pathogen

PHAGOCYTIC
CELL

Vacuole
Lysosome
containing
enzymes
Proteins and peptides of the immune system

Antibodies
Complement Proteins
(Immunoglobulins)
Interferons
Inflammatory Response (inflammation)

Pathogen Splinter

Macro- Movement
Signaling
phage of fluid
Mast molecules
cell
Capillary Phagocytosis

Red Neutrophil
blood cells
Antihistamine medications
Antigens and epitopes
Lymphocytes and Acquired Immunity

Antigen
receptors

Mature B cell Mature T cell

Figure 43.9
Antigen Antigen-
- binding site
binding
site
Disulfide
bridge
Variable
regions
B cell Constant
antigen C C
regions
receptor Light
chain
Transmembrane
region

Heavy Plasma
chains membrane

B cell Cytoplasm of B cell

Figure 43.13

DNA of
undifferentiated
B cell V37 V38 V39 V40 J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 Intron C

1 Recombination deletes DNA between

randomly selected V segment and J segment
DNA of
differentiated V37 V38 V39 J5 Intron C
B cell
Functional gene
2 Transcription

pre-mRNA V39 J5 Intron C

3 RNA processing

mRNA Cap V39 J5 C Poly-A tail

V V
V V
4 Translation
C C

C C
Light-chain polypeptide V C
Antigen receptor
Variable Consta
region nt B cell
region
Self-Tolerance Checking
Figure 43.10
Antigen
receptor Antibody

B cell

Antigen Epitope

Pathogen
(a) B cell antigen receptors and antibodies

Antibody C
Antibody A
Antibody B

Antigen

(b) Antigen receptor specificity

Figure 43.14

B cells that
differ in Antigen
Antigen
antigen receptor
specificity

Antibody

Memory Plasma cells

cells
Figure 43.11
Antigen-
binding
site

T cell Variable
antigen V V regions
receptor
C C Constant
regions

Disulfide Transmembrane
bridge region

α chain β chain

Plasma
membrane
T cell Cytoplasm of T cell
Figure 43.12a

Displayed
antigen
T cell
fragment

T cell antigen
MHC
receptor
molecule

Antigen
fragment

Pathogen

Host cell
(a) Antigen recognition by a T cell
Figure 43.16

Antigen-
presenting Antigen fragment
cell

Pathogen

Class II MHC molecule

1 Accessory protein
Antigen receptor
Helper T cell

+
Cytokines +
2 Cell-
Humoral + mediated
+
immunity immunity
3
B cell
Cytotoxic T cell
Figure 43.17-3

Cytotoxic T cell Released

cytotoxic
T cell

Accessory
protein Antigen Dying
receptor Perforin infected cell
Class I MHC Granzymes
molecule
Pore
Infected
cell
Antigen
1 fragment 2 3
Figure 43.20
Humoral (antibody-mediated) immune response Cell-mediated immune response
Key
Antigen (1st exposure)
+ Stimulates
Engulfed by Gives rise to

Antigen-
+ presenting cell +

B cell Helper T cell Cytotoxic T cell

+ +

Memory
helper T cells

+ + +
Antigen (2nd exposure)

+ Memory Active
Plasma cells Memory B cells cytotoxic T cells cytotoxic T cells

Secreted
antibodies

Defend against Defend against

extracellular intracellular
pathogens pathogens and cancer
More about antibodies

Activation of complement system and pore

Neutralization Opsonization formation
Complement proteins
Antibody
Formation of membrane
attack complex

Bacterium
Virus Flow of water
and ions

Pore

Foreign Antigen
Macrophage cell
The many roles of antibodies
Interferons (IFN)
Monoclonal Antibody Production
Pregnancy testing
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Example: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Example: Crohn’s Disease