HSS 3305 Lecture 4: LECTURE 4
19 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Generic term to refer to these signaling ligands. Bind to specific cytokine recptors on target cells. Almost all pathogens trigger both nonspecific and specific immune responses. Every virus, bacteria, cell, molecule (antigen) has a unique structure that can be recognized and differentiated. Immune system is designed to know self antigens and non-self (foreign) antigens. This concept of self vs. non-self is key to immunological defense. Any substance capable of triggering an immune response. Examples: pathogens (whole organism or parts, pathogenic products (toxins) Foreign cells (tissue transplant, blood transfusion: altered host cell (cancer cells, virus infected cells) Usually few amino acids or carbohydrate residues. Specialized section of the antigen which will interact with immune system components: b cells, t cells, antibodies. Immune response must distinguish between self and non-self. All (cid:272)ells (cid:272)arries disti(cid:374)(cid:272)ti(cid:448)e (cid:373)ole(cid:272)ules that disti(cid:374)guish its as (cid:862)self(cid:863) Immune response not normally directed to tissues that carry a self marker; self-tolerance. Note: specific lock and key fit to the epitope.
