Download Activity 5.3.3: Fighting the Common Cold Introduction

Activity 5.3.3: Fighting the Common Cold
Introduction
In PBS, you learned that human blood contains three main cells or cell fragments.
Red blood cells help transport oxygen around the body. Platelets assist in protection
by helping your blood clot. But it is the white blood cells that really function to keep
you well. Your body’s immune system relies on special white blood cells to pinpoint
and destroy microbes that may make it through your body’s non-specific defenses.
In Activity 5.3.2, you were introduced to antibodies, special proteins that can target
and inactivate specific antigens. Antibodies are one of your body’s main defenses.
These Y- shaped proteins are created by the white blood cells and circulate in your
blood and lymph. Specific antibodies are produced when an unwanted antigen
enters the body. The antibodies work to disable these invaders and target them for
destruction.
In this activity, you will walk through the steps of fighting off a cold and you will graph
data about your immune response to specific pathogens. By looking at the way in
which antibodies respond and how your body reacts, you will begin to see how your
white blood cells keep you well and allow you to build up your resistance. You will
investigate the amazing white blood cells that are at the center of your body’s
specific defense system and trace immune response in a flow chart. Relating what
you see on your graph to your flow chart, you will understand what really happens in
your body when the common cold comes your way.
Equipment
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Computer with Internet access and Inspiration® software
Red and blue colored pencil or marker
Graph paper
Laboratory journal
Procedure
You are at the movies and a man behind you sneezes. Even though you do not realize
it, tiny particles propelled by this sneeze are making their way over to your body. He is
just getting over a cold, but some of the remaining virus particles are headed your way.
We will call this virus “antigen A.” Never knowing the cause, you do get pretty sick. Your
body recovers, but soon after you visit your little sister’s nursery school class. Again,
without knowing it, you are exposed to “antigen A” and to a new bug, “antigen B.”
Thankfully, you do not get too sick. You notice a slight sore throat (a symptom you
never had last time), but other than that, you feel fine. Remember that your immune
system can work to produce and distribute antibodies that are specific to an antigen.
Let’s take a look at your body’s antibody response to the both “antigen A” and “antigen
B.”
© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Human Body Systems Activity 5.3.3 Fighting the Common Cold – Page 1
1. Use graph paper to plot the data shown below. Plot all of your data on one graph.
Plot time on the X-axis and antibody concentration on the Y-axis. Label your
axes and add a title to your graph. Make sure to scan the data points and choose
an appropriate scale for each axis.
Initial exposure to “antigen A” occurs on Day 1. Second exposure occurs on Day 28
Time (days)
Antibody Concentration
1
7
10
14
18
21
25
28
32
35
42
49
56
0
1
8
10
20
8
2
1
50
1000
5000
800
100
Initial exposure to “antigen B” occurs on Day 28.
Time (days)
Antibody Concentration
28
34
37
41
49
55
0
1
8
10
20
8
NOTE: Units for antibody concentration are arbitrary in this example.
2. Connect the points for “antigen A” using a red colored pencil or marker.
3. Connect the points for “antigen B” using a blue colored pencil or marker.
4. With your partner, analyze the data and describe your findings in your laboratory
journal. What does this graph tell you about your immune system? Compare your
1st and 2nd response to “antigen A” and describe how your body reacted to
“antigen B.” Make sure to relate both antibody curves to the symptoms you were
feeling at each time period.
5. Answer conclusions 1-3.
6. Now relate the data from the experiment back to what is happening inside of your
body.
7. View the animation, “Fighting the Common Cold” at the Life Sciences/HHMI
Outreach Program site
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Human Body Systems Activity 5.3.3 Fighting the Common Cold – Page 2
http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/animations/commoncold.swf. Take notes in
your laboratory journal as you watch the animation.
8. Working with a partner, create a flow chart using Inspiration that shows how your
body responds to a cold. Your graphic organizer should include (but is not
limited) to the following words:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
B-cells (B lymphocytes)
Helper T-cells (T lymphocytes)
Macrophages
Mucus
Lymph
Cytokines
Receptor proteins
Antibodies
Memory cells
Plasma cells (NOTE: You may need to find an additional source to
find this term.)
* Make sure your map also explains how B-cells and T-cells get their
names.
9. Print a copy of your flow chart.
10. Put your flow chart and your graph side by side on your desk.
11. Relate what is happening in your graph to what is happening on your flow chart.
Think about how what is going on in your body relates to the antibody
concentrations you are seeing in the graph. Number the key events that are
taking place on your flow chart. Add these numbers to appropriate places on your
response curve for “antigen A.” Circle the numbers on the graph so they stand
out.
12. Answer the remaining conclusion questions.
Conclusion
1. Compare your body’s response to antigen “A” both times you were exposed.
Describe at least two ways in which the body’s response is different.
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Human Body Systems Activity 5.3.3 Fighting the Common Cold – Page 3
2. Propose a reason why the second response to antigen “A” was so different.
3. What do you think might have been causing the slight sore throat you felt after
visiting your sister’s school? Make sure to use “antigen A” and “antigen B” in your
response.
4. How is your body’s second response to “antigen A” directly related to cellular
response in your immune system?
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Human Body Systems Activity 5.3.3 Fighting the Common Cold – Page 4
5. Given what you now know about memory cells, how do you think a vaccination
works?
6. Sometimes the body can attack its own tissue as if it was foreign. We call these
disorders autoimmune diseases. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease
where the body attacks its own myelin. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune
disease where the body attacks the lining of the joints. How do you think each of
these diseases would impact the function in the human body? Explain.
7. What role do other human body systems, such as the digestive system, the
integumentary system, and the respiratory system play in protection? Think back
to the game or children’s book you designed in PBS. Provide an example for
each system that demonstrates how a feature, substance, or action of that
system helps keep you well.
© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Human Body Systems Activity 5.3.3 Fighting the Common Cold – Page 5