Immunology - Lecture Thirty Three : Innate immunology III

6 important questions on Immunology - Lecture Thirty Three : Innate immunology III

What is the purpose of antigen uptake and Adaptive Immunity ?

  • Clearance of pathogens (innate response)
  • For presentation to T Cells (adaptive response)

ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY
  • Has evolved over time and are present in vertebrates (which need a complex immune system) but absent in invertebrates (who have innate immunity only)

Linking the Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems

The innate and adaptive immune systems are usually linked by antigen-presenting cells (dendritic cells and macrophages – dendritic cells are the most potent APC). These cells take samples of antigen and ‘present’ them to T cells via complexes on their cell surfaces. Presentation to T cells activates the adaptive immune system.

What is a Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) ?How are peptide-antigen presented on the MHC ?

It is present on antigen presenting cells, so that the cells are able to present peptides from pathogenic antigens to B-Cells or T-Cells
  • Dendritic Cells are one of the main types of Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs) and their function is to present peptides on MHC to T-Cells
  • Because it activates the T-Cells, MHC is essential for initiating adaptive immunity
  • Higher grades + faster learning
  • Never study anything twice
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Discover Study Smart

What are the roles of the different types of MHC ?

MHC-I
  • Presents endogenous (intracellular) antigen and is expressed on all nucleated cells in the human body. Basically any cell with a nucleus, will have MHC-I
  • This is because viruses like to grow inside cells and are the predominant pathogen presented on MHC-I

MHC-II
  • Presents exogenous (extracellular) antigen and is only an antigen presenting cell, making it a special cell
  • Dendritic cells have both types of MHC present

How does MHC-I present endogenous antigens ?

  • Viruses invade different cells in the body and so their antigen will be present inside of the cell cytoplasm
  • Because we can't phagocytose the virus, theres no destruction of viruses in a phagolysosome
  • Instead the loading of the peptides onto MHC-I occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell and then the complex travels to the cell surface.
  • The destruction of the virus occurs in the cytoplasm

How are exogenous antigens loaded onto MHC-II?

  • Phagocytosis of the antigen occurs and is broken down into component parts by the phagolysosome which is acidic
  • The peptides from the antigen are loaded onto the MHC-II in the phagolysosome and sent to the cell surface. This displays the peptide for our B-Cells and T-Cells to detect

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo