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Example Question #1 : Other Immune Physiology
Which of the following cytokines acts as a chemoattractant for neutrophils?
Interleukin-8
Interleukin-6
Interleukin-1
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Interleukin-8
Interleukins (IL) are cytokines that play a role in signaling the immune cells. IL-8 is produced mainly by macrophage and dendritic cells and plays a major role in inflammation as a chemoattractant for neutrophils. IL-1 and IL-6 both induce acute phase proteins. TNF-alpha is involved in the acute phase reaction. It is an endogenous pyrogen (meaning it induces fever) and is also involved in apoptosis and tumor inhibition.
Example Question #2 : Other Immune Physiology
What antibacterial proteins are contained in tears?
Defensin-5
DEFA1
Lysozymes
Cathelicidin
Lysozymes
Lysozymes are a group of defense enzymes found in tears, saliva, mucus, and breast milk. It is considered part of our innate immune systems, as its presence in tears prevents infectious conjunctivitis. Cathelicidin, Defensin-5, and DEFA1 are found in the lysosomes of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN's) and macrophages.
Example Question #3 : Other Immune Physiology
All of the following cells express major histocompatibility complex 1 (MHC-1) except __________.
Hepatic cells
Epithelial cells
Neutrophils
Red blood cells
Red blood cells
Major histocompatibility complex 1 in a membrane protein that binds to peptide fragments from pathogens such as viruses and bacteria and then displays them on the cell surface in order to alert other immune cells of the presence and nature of infection.
All cells with nuclei express MHC-1. Red blood cells do not have nuclei, and do not express MHC-1 on membranes.
Example Question #1 : Other Immune Physiology
Which of the following cells produce antibodies?
T cells
B cells
Natural killer cells
All of these
B cells
Antibodies are only produced by B cells, specifically by a type of specialized B cell called a plasma cell. B cells belong to a broader category of leukocytes known as lymphocytes, which are agranulocytes.
Example Question #4 : Other Immune Physiology
In what tissue do T lymphocytes mature?
The bone marrow
The thymus
The spleen
The liver
The thymus
T lymphocytes are so titled because they mature in the thymus, unlike B lymphocytes, which mature in the bone marrow. The thymus is located in the anterior superior mediastinum, ventral to the heart and dorsal to the sternum. It is most active in the neonatal and pre-adolescent periods, afterwards, it degenerates and is replaced with adipose tissue.
Example Question #5 : Other Immune Physiology
Lymphoid progenitors are produced in which of the following tissues?
All of these
The liver
Gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
The bone marrow
All of these
Lymphoid progenitor cells are produced in all of the following tissues: the liver, the bone marrow, spleen, and gut associated lymphoid tissue (mainly found in the liver and intestines). However, note that the vast majority of all blood cells are produced in the red bone marrow of long bones by hematopoietic stem cells.
Example Question #7 : Other Immune Physiology
Which immune cell is specialized for immunity against multicellular parasites?
Natural killer cells
Monocytes
Basophils
Eosinophils
Eosinophils
While all of the cells listed may have some indirect involvement in the overall response to a parasitic infection, eosinophils are the only immune cells that are specialized to respond to multicellular parasites, especially helminths such as hookworms and pinworms.
Example Question #8 : Other Immune Physiology
Mast cells contain high concentrations of which of the following?
Tryptase
All of these
Heparin
Histamine
All of these
Mast cells are rich in granules that contain high concentrations of heparin, histamine, and trypsin, among other preformed proteases. These granules also contain serotonin and various eicosanoids. The function of mast cells is primarily to regulate immune (inflammatory) responses to allergens.
Example Question #6 : Other Immune Physiology
Which of the following would be considered to part of nonspecific immunity?
Plasma cells
Memory cells
Macrophages
CD8 T cells
Macrophages
Macrophages, the main blood cells responsible for phagocytosis of debris, bacteria, and virally infected cells, are part of the nonspecific immune response. While they are able to recognize self versus non-self proteins, they are not uniquely sensitive to any particular non-self protein type. Rathe, they phagocytose foreign matter as well as cellular debris. Plasma cells, memory cells, and CD8 T cells are all lymphocytes, and as such they are all part of the adaptive or "specific" immune system, meaning that they are uniquely sensitive to particular pathogenic proteins.
Example Question #7 : Other Immune Physiology
Which of the following antibacterial enzymes is present saliva?
Amylase
Lingual lipase
Kallikrein
Lysozyme
Lysozyme
While all of the enzymes listed are present in saliva, lysozyme is the only enzyme listed that has antibacterial properties. This enzyme, present not only in saliva but also in tears, sweat, and breast milk, damages bacterial cell walls, making it an important part of the innate immune system. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates, lipase breaks down lipids, and kallikrein breaks down proteins.
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