PSYC 365 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Bronchitis, Natural Killer Cell
Document Summary
Immunocompetence - the extent to which an immune system is functioning properly to ward off micro-organisms. Psychoneuroimmunology (pni) - the study of the relationship between psychological states and the functioning of the immune system. Enumerative assay - a lab test to count cells (typically white blood cells) as they exist in the bloodstream. Functional tests of immunity - tests done to asses the immune system at work. Mitogen - a relatively harmless substance that stimulates immune cell activity as though the immune cell were acting against an invading cell or antigen. Nk cell cytotoxic activity assay - a test in which the proliferation and effectiveness of nk cells is measured after they ave been exposed to diseased cells. Nk cell lysis - destroying tumour cells by exposing them to nk cells. Acute stressor - a stressor that is immediate in its duration and proximity.