Introduction to the immune system

Dr. Maged Al-garadi

 Immunity

Immunity is the ability of the body to resist disease.

Immune responses are carried out by an array molecular substances and immune
cells that circulate throughout the blood and lymphatic system.
 Levels of immunity

•Innate immunity: which can

fight infection even at the
very first encounter with a
pathogen.
The body has two •
Acquired immunity: which is
levels of immunity highly effective but develops
only after the pathogen has
already been “seen” and
“memorized”. e.g (vaccine).
 Acquired immunity

It can be further divided into

• Humeral immunity: which involve s the Antibodies(Ab), protein produced in

response to infection or vaccine these protein (Ab) manufactured by B cell
lymphocytes
• Cellular immunity which involves activities mainly carried out by the T cell
lymphocytes. That cause graft rejection , fight cancer and attack certain
intracellular pathogens like viruses and the bacterium that cause tuberculosis.
 What is immunology

Immunology is word derived from Latin immunis.

It means “free of burden”. Burden could be referred to various difficulties individual

might face through it’s life.

The immunology is involved in study of defense mechanisms that confer resistance

to pathogens. Immunology today is extended to fields that are purely physiological
aspects.
What is the relation of immunology to other
disciplines
1. Antigencity of pathogenic organisms (Bacteria,
Virus, Parasite).
2. Pathogenicity .
3. Pathology of infection.
4. Allergic
5. Immunological disease.
6. Clinical immunology :(Pharmacology, toxicology,
medicine, obstetrics and gyneacology)
The Anatomy and Immunological features of Immune System
 Bone Marrow
It is a site where all
blood cell are generated

It is a site where all

lymphocyte differentiation
into a B-lymphocyte

Bone marrow as a site of Ab

production (long- lasting)
Antibody production.

It is function as
hematopoietic organ.
 Thymus
It is a site where lymphocyte differentiated into T-Lymphocyte.
Sub capsular epithelium hormones have important influence on the cells
maturation (thymosin, thymopoietins thymic hormonal factor thymulin and
the thymostimulins).
Control all cells that could mount immune response to self Ag. Thymocyte
with high affinity to self Ag will be deleted, unwanted T-lymphocyte are
destroyed by apoptosis.
Tow type of T cell:
a. Cytotoxic cells: which kill infected cell.
b. T helper cells: that activate B cells and macrophage.
Tow type of Lymphocyte leave thymus:
a. Lymphocyte seeking spleen (short live span)
b. Lymphocyte seeking lymph nodes (long live span)
Peyer’s patches in sheep

It’s a site for B-lymphocyte

differentiation.

M cell productions
 Secondary immune organ
Spleen

Spleen acts as effective blood filter in

It is a largest secondary immune removing blood- born antigens and
organ . provide a home for lymphocytes and
macrophage interaction.
 Lymph nodes

It’s filtering station to trap any foreign antigen in lymph on its way to the blood
stream.

It is provide the environment for the interaction of immune cells.

 Mucous Associated Lymphoid Tissue
(MALT)

Outer and inner body surface are guarded also by army of immune cells.Meshes
created by the lamina propria are the home of these cells.

Immune tissue of mucosal surface like gastrointestinal, respiratory and

genitourinary tracts appear either in dispersed un-encapsulated, or aggregated into
dense nodular structures known as (lymphatic nodules) like tonsils, appendix.
 Lymphocyte circulation
• B &T lymphocytes leave blood and cross over
into the tissue at the special site.
• The site are made of very thin blood vessels
inserted between capillaries and veins- they are
the post capillary venules or high endothelium
venules (HEV).
• HEV are found in secondary organ.
• Lymphocyte possess specific receptor for passing
through the HEV.
Cell and immune system
Cells of immune system
 Lymphoid cells
• Morphologically it is quit difficult to distinguish between
the different lymphoid cells and impossible to
differentiate the subclasses of T cell. Since these cells
carry out different processes they possess molecules on
their surface unique to that fictional requirement. These
molecules referred to as cell markers. it can be used to
distinguished between different cell type and also identify
cells different stage of differentiation.
• The different cell surface molecules have been
systematically named by CD(cluster of differentiation)
system.
 Major T lymphocyte marker

CD Marker name location function

CD2 All T cell Adherence to target cell

CD3 All T cell Part of T cell Ag-receptor

complex

CD4 Helper subset(TH) MHC classII restricted

recognition

CD7 All T cells Unknown

CD8 Cytotoxic subset(TC) MHC classI restricted

recognition
 Characteristic and determination of
innate and acquired immunity
Innate immunity Acquired(Adaptive)
Non specific Specific
No change with repeat exposure Memory
mechanical barriers
Bactericidal substances
Natural flora
Humeral immunity: Humeral immunity:
Acute phase protein Antibody (Abs)
Interferon
Lysozyme
complement
Cell mediated immunity: T-Lymphocyte
Natural killer (N.K) cells
Phagocytes:
1. Phagocytosis(engulf of particles)
2. Pinocytosis( engulf soluble material)
S
e
c
t
A
n
tige

i
n
&
A
n
t
igen

o
ics
p
eci
ficty

n
2
 Antigen(Ag)

What is the Antigen?

Any substance that activates B or T lymphocytes by interacting with

combining sites of T or B cell receptors is called antigen(Ag)
 General properties of Antigen and
Antigencity
1. Chemical nature of Ag: protein are the best antigen. other
organic are weak unless associated with protein.
2. Chemical complexity: molecules of different chemical sub
unit have better antigencity. That mean complex Ag is the
best Ag.
3. Molecular size: higher molecular weight(MW)is the best
Ag.
4. Foreignness: Absence of any similarity or cross reaction
with self Ag.MHC good Ag because it have great diversity
among same species. Collagen bad Ag because it haven’t
great diversity among different species.
 General properties of Antigen and
Antigencity

• Alloantigen: differ within the same species.

• Xenoantigen: differ between the individual of different species. Example: bovine
serum albumin induces immune response in rabbit.
• Autoantigen: they are the self antigen. Immune response can be elicited in
abnormal condition, such as autoimmune disease.
5. Mode of administration: The route of inoculation influences the potency of the
Ag.
• Ag that introduced via skin or muscle usually end up in the region al lymph
node, while antigen introduced via vein or peritoneal cavity ends up in spleen.
• Antigencity of substance is also influence by dose and immunization schedule.
• Dose-Route-Adjuvant)
6. Genetic background:especially genes of MHC which define the haplotype.
 Antigenic determinant(epitope)
• Although molecule of antigen is large only a
site on the molecule interact with the
combining site of T or B cell receptors. The site
are known as Antigenic determination or
epitope.
• Immunodominance: is a small portion of
antigenic determinant is of prim important in
establishing the epitope specificity.
 Definition
• Immunogen: A substance that induce a specific immune
response.
• Antigen: A substance that react with products of a specific
immune response.
• Hapten: A substance that is non-immunogenic but which
can react with the products of a specific immune
response. hapten are small molecules which could never
induce an immune response when administered by
themselves but it can produced immune response when it
coupled to a carrier molecule. Hapten have the property
of antigencity but not immunogenicity.
 Definition
• Antigenic determinant (Epitope): it is the
portion of an antigen that combines with the
products of specific Immune response.
• Antibody(Ab): A specific protein which is
produced in response to an immunogen which
reacts with an with an antigen.
Immunoglobulin structure and function

• Immunoglobulin(Ig) is a glycoprotein
molecules which are produced by plasma cell
in response to an immunogen and which
function as antibody.