An understanding of the immune system shows how cells and molecules function together to protect the body against infectious diseases and how the body is protected from further infection by the same pathogen. Phagocytosis is a more immediate non-specific part of the immune system, while the actions of lymphocytes provide effective defence against specific pathogens.
Learning outcomes
Candidates should be able to:
11.1 The immune system
The immune system has non-specific and specific responses to pathogens.
Auto-immune diseases are the result of failures in the system to distinguish between self
and non-self.
a) state that phagocytes (macrophages and neutrophils) have their origin in bone marrow and describe their mode of action
b) describe the modes of action of B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes
c) describe and explain the significance of the increase in white blood cell count in humans with infectious diseases and leukaemias
d) explain the meaning of the term immune response, making reference to the terms antigen, self and non-self
e) explain the role of memory cells in long-term immunity
f) explain, with reference to myasthenia gravis, that the immune system sometimes fails to distinguish between self and non- self
11.2 Antibodies and vaccination
Active and passive immunisations are effective ways to treat and prevent infectious diseases. Smallpox has been eradicated; other diseases may soon follow, but vaccine development
has proved more difficult for diseases such as malaria.
a) relate the molecular structure of antibodies to their functions (see 2.3b)
b) outline the hybridoma method for the production of monoclonal antibodies
c) outline the use of monoclonal antibodies in the diagnosis of disease and in the treatment of disease
d) distinguish between active and passive, natural and artificial immunity and explain how vaccination can control disease
e) discuss the reasons why vaccination programmes have eradicated smallpox, but not measles, tuberculosis (TB), malaria or cholera
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