Aantekeningen college imm1 - introduction in immunology and innate immunity

IMM 1 Introduction in immunology and innate immunity
Part 1
Why do we have an immune system?
1. Ensures we stay healthy
2. Protects the body from pathogens and other foreign substances
3. Destroys infected and malignant cells
4. Removes cellular debris

-> How does it do that? The three R’s:
1. Recognize
2. Remove
3. Remember

Our immune system needs to discriminate between self and non self and harmless and harmful.
Self or non-self? Harmless of harmful? Response?
Self Harmless No
Self Harmful Yes
Non-self Harmless No
Non-self Harmful Yes

A disbalance (wrong response) can cause disease:
Self or non-self? Harmless or harmful? Response? Result
Self Harmless Yes Auto-immune disease
Self Harmful No Cancer
Non-self Harmless Yes Allergy
Non-self Harmful No Infection

Cytokine = signalling molecule for activation
Chemokine = signalling molecule for migration




The innate immune system forms the 2nd line of defence (aspecific):
1. Rapid response within hours
2. Fixed
3. Limited number of specificities
4. Constant during the course of response

The adaptive immune system forms the 3rd line of defence (specific):