Organs of the immune system

8 important questions on Organs of the immune system

Primary lymphoid organs

- organs that regulate the development of lymphocytes
- T lymphocytes mature in the thymus
- B lymphocytes mature in the bone marrow
- in these organs lymphocytes do not encounter antigens and arent stimulated by them

Secondary lymphoid organs

- To maximize the chances of an antigen specific lymphocyte encountering that one antigen
- they are connected to both blood and the lymphoid system

Circulating T cells can leave the bloodstream by two routes

- Naïve T cells bind to HEV in lymph nodes
- Memory T cells leave the blood stream through blood vessels in tissues and are carreis to lymph nodes via lymph vessels
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Other secondary lymphoid organs

- bone marrow, tonsils and lymphoid tissue
- primary immune response -> antibodies are mainly produced in the spleen and lymph nodes
- memory cells move into the bone marrow and during a secondary repsonse antibodies emerge from there

Major types of lymphocytes

- Natural killer
- T cells (regulatory)
- B cells (generate antibodies)

Lymphocyte surface molecules

- different surface molecules have been given a cluster of differentiation (CD) designation -> this is a number
- several surface molecules in domestic mammals that have no known homolog in humans or mice
- these are given the prefix WC (workshop cluster)
- a cytometer can recognize cell surface receptors

Molecules regulating lymphocyte function

- cytokine receptors
- antibody receptors (FcRs)
- complement receptors

Other major surface molecules

- WC1 (not expressed in humand and mice) -> bind macrophages and dendritic cells and act as co-stimulant

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