KUBY IMMUNOLOGY COVID 19 DIGITAL
UPDATE 2026 IMMUNE SYSTEM BASICS
INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY STUDY
GUIDE
◉ What is the major function of type I interferons during viral
infection?
Answer: They induce an antiviral state in neighboring uninfected
cells to inhibit viral replication.
◉ Why are some Toll-like receptors located on intracellular vesicle
membranes instead of the cell surface?
Answer: Because they detect intracellular viral nucleic acids such as
viral RNA after endocytosis.
◉ Which transcription factor activated by TLR signaling promotes
inflammation and interaction with adaptive immune cells?
Answer: NF-κB
◉ Which transcription factor activated by TLR signaling promotes
antiviral interferon production?
,Answer: IRF-3
◉ What viral components commonly activate TLRs during influenza
infection?
Answer: Viral dsRNA and ssRNA
◉ What does IFN-γ do during antiviral immune responses?
Answer: Activates NK cells and enhances killing of infected cells.
◉ What is meant by the "antiviral state"?
Answer: A cellular state induced by type I interferons in which
antiviral proteins inhibit viral replication.
◉ How do type I interferons halt viral replication in neighboring
cells?
Answer: They activate antiviral RNases that degrade viral RNA
before translation.
◉ What is the role of antiviral RNases induced by interferons?
Answer: To degrade viral RNA and prevent viral protein synthesis.
◉ Why is influenza highly prone to mutation?
, Answer: Its RNA polymerase lacks proofreading, leading to frequent
replication errors.
◉ What is antigenic drift?
Answer: Small gradual mutations in influenza HA and NA genes
caused by replication errors.
◉ :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Answer:
◉ What is antigenic shift?
Answer: Major reassortment of influenza genome segments creating
novel influenza A strains capable of pandemics.
◉ Which influenza viruses undergo antigenic shift?
Answer: Influenza A viruses
◉ Why can antigenic shift produce pandemics?
Answer: Because the population lacks preexisting immunity to the
novel HA and/or NA antigens.
◉ What is the primary barrier defense against influenza infection in
the respiratory tract?
UPDATE 2026 IMMUNE SYSTEM BASICS
INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY STUDY
GUIDE
◉ What is the major function of type I interferons during viral
infection?
Answer: They induce an antiviral state in neighboring uninfected
cells to inhibit viral replication.
◉ Why are some Toll-like receptors located on intracellular vesicle
membranes instead of the cell surface?
Answer: Because they detect intracellular viral nucleic acids such as
viral RNA after endocytosis.
◉ Which transcription factor activated by TLR signaling promotes
inflammation and interaction with adaptive immune cells?
Answer: NF-κB
◉ Which transcription factor activated by TLR signaling promotes
antiviral interferon production?
,Answer: IRF-3
◉ What viral components commonly activate TLRs during influenza
infection?
Answer: Viral dsRNA and ssRNA
◉ What does IFN-γ do during antiviral immune responses?
Answer: Activates NK cells and enhances killing of infected cells.
◉ What is meant by the "antiviral state"?
Answer: A cellular state induced by type I interferons in which
antiviral proteins inhibit viral replication.
◉ How do type I interferons halt viral replication in neighboring
cells?
Answer: They activate antiviral RNases that degrade viral RNA
before translation.
◉ What is the role of antiviral RNases induced by interferons?
Answer: To degrade viral RNA and prevent viral protein synthesis.
◉ Why is influenza highly prone to mutation?
, Answer: Its RNA polymerase lacks proofreading, leading to frequent
replication errors.
◉ What is antigenic drift?
Answer: Small gradual mutations in influenza HA and NA genes
caused by replication errors.
◉ :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Answer:
◉ What is antigenic shift?
Answer: Major reassortment of influenza genome segments creating
novel influenza A strains capable of pandemics.
◉ Which influenza viruses undergo antigenic shift?
Answer: Influenza A viruses
◉ Why can antigenic shift produce pandemics?
Answer: Because the population lacks preexisting immunity to the
novel HA and/or NA antigens.
◉ What is the primary barrier defense against influenza infection in
the respiratory tract?
