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BIO 669 Exam 1 Questions and Answers
Cytokines
Ans: signaling molecules that regulate innate or adaptive immunity that
are responsible for activating other cells and regulating the
inflammatory response; they help stimulate the response to infection
and tissue damage by guiding lymphocytes and leukocytes toward the
area of damage, stimulating healing, and increasing or decreasing
inflammation; there are multiple types of these cells, each with their own
different roles in the inflammatory response
Chemokines
Ans: type of cytokines that are synthesized by many cells in response to
proinflammatory cytokines and induce chemotaxis to promote
phagocytosis and wound healing; e.g. monocyte/macrophage
chemotactic proteins, macrophage inflammatory proteins, and
neutrophils
Cells that synthesize chemokines
Ans: macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells
Interleukins
Ans: type of cytokine made by white blood cells (produced primarily by
macrophages and lymphocytes) in response to stimulation of pattern
recognition receptors (PRRs) or by other cytokines; there are many
different types of these cytokines
Interleukin-1
Ans: pro-inflammatory cytokine (activates and enhances inflammatory
response) that induces many acute phase proteins and is an endogenous
pyrogen
Endogenous pyrogen
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, 2 | Page
Ans: molecule that stimulates fever by resetting the hypothalamic set
point, setting the body's temperature set point higher so that initially
you feel cold as your body temperature as risen, but then as the fever
breaks and your temperature goes back down, you feel hot
Interleukin-10
Ans: anti-inflammatory cytokine that is primarily produced by
lymphocytes and suppresses the growth of other lymphocytes and the
production of proinflammatory cytokines of macrophages, which leads
to a down-regulation of both inflammatory and acquired immune
response
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Ans: cytokine secreted by macrophages in response to PAMPs and toll-
like receptor recognition that is a strong inflammatory mediator and a
key regulatory molecule for inflammation; induces a multitude of
proinflammatory effects
Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Ans: - Induces fever by acting as an endogenous pyrogen (also produces
IL-1 and IL-6, which can also both induce/increase fever)
- Increases synthesis of inflammatory serum proteins
- Causes muscle wasting (cachexia) and intravascular thrombosis
- Can cause granuloma formation
TNF-A and biologic agents
Ans: tumor necrosis factor alpha is the target of many biologic agents
that try to diminish the immune response when it is overexpressed/out
of proportion; since TNF-A enhances inflammation, drugs that target
TNF-A will ramp DOWN the inflammatory response; e.g. used in
treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease
(autoimmune conditions where immune system is too active)
Interferon
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Ans: cytokine that protects against viral infections and modulate the
inflammatory response
Interferons alpha and beta
Ans: Type I interferons that are produced and released by virally
infected host cells in response to viral double-stranded RNA and other
viral PAMPs to protect neighboring healthy cells; don't kill viruses
directly
Interferon gamma
Ans: Type II interferon that is produced primarily by lymphocytes to
activate macrophages, which results in increased capacity to kill
infectious agents like viruses (and bacteria); key cytokine; increases
microbicidal activity of macrophages
- Plays important role in how well you can clear infection
Mast cells
Ans: white blood cells that are the most important cellular activator of
the inflammatory response; cellular bags of granule
- located in the loose connective tissues close to blood vessels (skin,
digestive lining, and respiratory tract)
- their granules contain histamine, cytokines, serotonin, and chemotactic
factors that when released, can lead to a significant inflammatory
response
- mediator for pollen, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, etc.
Degranulation of mast cells
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, 4 | Page
Ans: most common activation of mast cell chemical release
- the release of the contents of the mast cell granules (histamine,
serotonin, chemotactic factors, cytokines, etc.) in response to a receptor
being engaged that allows for the stimulation of mast cells
- this receptor is frequently an antibody acting as a receptor (e.g. IgE)
- IgE binds to mast cells, causing them to release and produce a very
strong, immediate, acute immune response (e.g. allergic asthma and
other allergic responses)
Basophils
Ans: granulocyte found in the BLOOD that most likely act the same way
as mast cells
- least prevalent granulocyte
- primary role unknown
Synthesis
Ans: method of mast cell release in which mast cells produce and
release new mediators in response to a stimulus
Histamine
Ans: chemical stored in mast cells and is released during degranulation
that is a vasoactive amine (many vascular effects) and causes:
- temporary, rapid constriction of the large blood vessels
- dilation of the postcapillary venules (resulting in increased blood flow
into the mcirocirculation)
- increased vascular permeability due to the retraction of endothelial
cells lining the capillaries
- allows fluid and proteins to leave the vasculature, leaking out into
tissues, which causes redness, swelling, pain, loss of function, etc.
(inflammation!)
Why do antihistamines not reduce all inflammation?
© 2025 All rights reserved
BIO 669 Exam 1 Questions and Answers
Cytokines
Ans: signaling molecules that regulate innate or adaptive immunity that
are responsible for activating other cells and regulating the
inflammatory response; they help stimulate the response to infection
and tissue damage by guiding lymphocytes and leukocytes toward the
area of damage, stimulating healing, and increasing or decreasing
inflammation; there are multiple types of these cells, each with their own
different roles in the inflammatory response
Chemokines
Ans: type of cytokines that are synthesized by many cells in response to
proinflammatory cytokines and induce chemotaxis to promote
phagocytosis and wound healing; e.g. monocyte/macrophage
chemotactic proteins, macrophage inflammatory proteins, and
neutrophils
Cells that synthesize chemokines
Ans: macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells
Interleukins
Ans: type of cytokine made by white blood cells (produced primarily by
macrophages and lymphocytes) in response to stimulation of pattern
recognition receptors (PRRs) or by other cytokines; there are many
different types of these cytokines
Interleukin-1
Ans: pro-inflammatory cytokine (activates and enhances inflammatory
response) that induces many acute phase proteins and is an endogenous
pyrogen
Endogenous pyrogen
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Ans: molecule that stimulates fever by resetting the hypothalamic set
point, setting the body's temperature set point higher so that initially
you feel cold as your body temperature as risen, but then as the fever
breaks and your temperature goes back down, you feel hot
Interleukin-10
Ans: anti-inflammatory cytokine that is primarily produced by
lymphocytes and suppresses the growth of other lymphocytes and the
production of proinflammatory cytokines of macrophages, which leads
to a down-regulation of both inflammatory and acquired immune
response
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Ans: cytokine secreted by macrophages in response to PAMPs and toll-
like receptor recognition that is a strong inflammatory mediator and a
key regulatory molecule for inflammation; induces a multitude of
proinflammatory effects
Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Ans: - Induces fever by acting as an endogenous pyrogen (also produces
IL-1 and IL-6, which can also both induce/increase fever)
- Increases synthesis of inflammatory serum proteins
- Causes muscle wasting (cachexia) and intravascular thrombosis
- Can cause granuloma formation
TNF-A and biologic agents
Ans: tumor necrosis factor alpha is the target of many biologic agents
that try to diminish the immune response when it is overexpressed/out
of proportion; since TNF-A enhances inflammation, drugs that target
TNF-A will ramp DOWN the inflammatory response; e.g. used in
treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease
(autoimmune conditions where immune system is too active)
Interferon
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
Ans: cytokine that protects against viral infections and modulate the
inflammatory response
Interferons alpha and beta
Ans: Type I interferons that are produced and released by virally
infected host cells in response to viral double-stranded RNA and other
viral PAMPs to protect neighboring healthy cells; don't kill viruses
directly
Interferon gamma
Ans: Type II interferon that is produced primarily by lymphocytes to
activate macrophages, which results in increased capacity to kill
infectious agents like viruses (and bacteria); key cytokine; increases
microbicidal activity of macrophages
- Plays important role in how well you can clear infection
Mast cells
Ans: white blood cells that are the most important cellular activator of
the inflammatory response; cellular bags of granule
- located in the loose connective tissues close to blood vessels (skin,
digestive lining, and respiratory tract)
- their granules contain histamine, cytokines, serotonin, and chemotactic
factors that when released, can lead to a significant inflammatory
response
- mediator for pollen, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, etc.
Degranulation of mast cells
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
Ans: most common activation of mast cell chemical release
- the release of the contents of the mast cell granules (histamine,
serotonin, chemotactic factors, cytokines, etc.) in response to a receptor
being engaged that allows for the stimulation of mast cells
- this receptor is frequently an antibody acting as a receptor (e.g. IgE)
- IgE binds to mast cells, causing them to release and produce a very
strong, immediate, acute immune response (e.g. allergic asthma and
other allergic responses)
Basophils
Ans: granulocyte found in the BLOOD that most likely act the same way
as mast cells
- least prevalent granulocyte
- primary role unknown
Synthesis
Ans: method of mast cell release in which mast cells produce and
release new mediators in response to a stimulus
Histamine
Ans: chemical stored in mast cells and is released during degranulation
that is a vasoactive amine (many vascular effects) and causes:
- temporary, rapid constriction of the large blood vessels
- dilation of the postcapillary venules (resulting in increased blood flow
into the mcirocirculation)
- increased vascular permeability due to the retraction of endothelial
cells lining the capillaries
- allows fluid and proteins to leave the vasculature, leaking out into
tissues, which causes redness, swelling, pain, loss of function, etc.
(inflammation!)
Why do antihistamines not reduce all inflammation?
© 2025 All rights reserved
