Introduction to the

Immune System
Rahmawati Minhajat

MEDICAL FACULTY, HASANUDDIN UNIVERSITY, MAKASSAR

• Immunity  resistence to disease, specifically
infectious disease

• Immune system  collection of cells, tissues &

molecules that mediate resistance to infections

• Immune responses  coordinated reaction of these

cells & molecules to infection microbes

• Immunology  study of immune system & it

responses to invading pathogens
 Immunology

• Immunology is the study of our protection from

foreign macromolecules or invading organisms
and our responses to them.
• Host – e.g. me!!!!
• Foreign macromolecule, antigen – e.g. virus
protein, worm, parasite (Everything that should
not be in my body)
• The physiologic function of immune system

To prevent infections and

eradicate established infections
Immunity may be induced in an individual by :
- Infection or vactination (active immunity)
- Transfer of antibodies or lymphocytes from
an actively immunized individual (passive
immunity)
Two types of immune responses:

• Innate immunity
This type of host defence is always present in healthy individuals,
prepared to block the entry of microbes & to rapidly eliminate
microbes that succeed in entering host tissue

=natural
=native
Immunity/immune response
=nonspecific
=nonadaptive

•Adaptive immunity
The type of host defence that is stimulated by microbes that invade tissues,
that is, it adapts to the presence of microbial invaders

=spicific
=acquared Immunity/immune response
• Innate immunity
Mediates the initial protection against infection

•Adaptive immunity
Develops more slowly and mediates the later,
even more effective, defense againts infections
 The immune system
Immune system

Innate (non-specific) immunity Adaptive (specific) immunity

•Anatomic barriers (Skin,mucous
membranes)
•Physological barriers
(temperature, pH)
•Antigen specificity
•Diversity
•Immunological memory

•Phagocytic Barriers (cells that eat •Self/nonself recognition

invaders)
•Inflammatory barriers (redness,
swelling, heat and pain)
Components of innate immunity

- Epithelial barriers  the first line of defense

- Phagocytes ( neutrophils and monocytes/ macrophages)
- Natural killer (NK ) cells
- Complement system
- Cytokines

Components of adaptive immunity

- Lymphocytes
- B lymphocytes
- T lymphocytes
-Antigen-presenting cells (APC)
- Effector cells
- Antibody
Defense in innate immunity

natural antibiotics present in epithelia

Epithelial barrier  To block the entry of microbes

If microbes do breach epithelia & enter the tissues or circulation

Phagocytes, NK cells, plasma protein (complement system)

All these mechanisms of innate immunity specifically recognize and react against microbes but
do not react against noninfectious foreign substances
Adaptive (specific) immunity

Humoral and cellular immunity

(antibody mediated or cellular)
Types of adaptive immunity
 B cells
Surface bound antibody
Antibody secreting B cell

Antigen
B-cell

Soluble antibodies, circculate in the body

 Antibody secreting B cell

B-cell

Virus killed
Antibodies are produced by B lymphocytes  secreted into
circulation and mucosal fluids. They neutralize & eliminate
microbes and microbial toxins that are present in blood and in
the lumens of mucosal organ.

Antibodies do not have access to microbes that live and divide

inside infected cells
Antibodies produced by B lymphocytes are designed to
specifically recognize extracellular microbial antigen.
Able to recognize many different types of microbial molecules,
including proteins, carbohydrates & lipids

Whereas, T lymphocytes recognize antigens produced by

intracellular microbes.
T lymphocytes recognize only microbial protein antigen
 T cells
• Two types:
– Helper T cells (Th): activates other cells
– Cytotoxic T cells (Tc): can kill other cells
• T cells can only recognize antigens
associated with certain molecules (MHC)
TERIMA KASIH