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The IMMUNE System
Unit 3
Transportation Systems
Functions of the Immune System
• Provide immunity to the body by protecting
against disease.
• Identify and kill pathogens and tumor cells.
• Produces white blood cells and antibodies.
• Filters out organisms that cause disease.
Structures of the Immune System
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/9069.htm
Structures of the Immune System
Lymph Nodes
Tonsils
White Blood Cells
Tonsils
• Lymphoid tissue located
on either side of the
throat
• Destroy harmful
organisms that enter the
body through the mouth
Lymph Nodes
• Filters or traps for
foreign particles.
• Contain white blood
cells.
• Found throughout the
body in the neck,
armpit, chest,
abdomen, elbows,
groin, and knees.
Lymph Nodes
• 600-700 lymph nodes in the body
• Filter the lymph before it can be returned to
circulatory system
White Blood Cells
• Protect against infection and disease.
• Produced in the bone marrow and move to other
parts of the body until they’re needed to fight
infection.
• Not released into the bloodstream until they’re
needed.
Structures of the Immune System
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell.
There are B and T type lymphocytes.
B cells produce antibodies. Antibodies
attach to a specific antigen and make it
easier for the immune cells to destroy the
antigen.
T cells attack antigens directly and help
control the immune response. They also
release chemicals, known as cytokines,
which control the entire immune response.
Diseases and
Disorders
Immune System
HIV
• Affects T cells within the immune system.
• Attacks the RNA of the T cell, causing the T
cell to alter its DNA structure to that of HIV.
• Causes the T cells to replicate and create
more HIV
• When infected AIDS
is the final stage of
the HIV infection.
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• Contagious disease comprising the immune system
• Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV)
• Capable of becoming multi-drug resistant
• AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection
• Average incubation period for AIDS development is
10 years from point of infection
• Characterized by “opportunistic infections”
• There is no cure!!
Lupus
• Chronic,
inflammatory,
autoimmune
disorder affecting
many organ systems
• Body’s defenses are
turned against itself
and immune cells
attack healthy
tissues
Mononucleosis
• Also known as the
kissing disease
• Infectious
inflammatory disease
caused by the
Epstein-Barr virus
• Most commonly
affects young adults
between the ages of
15 and 25
Careers
• Microbiologist – research-oriented scientist
• Epidemiologist – identify and track diseases
• Ethicist – ethics in medicine or medical law
and ethics in delivery of health care.
Microbiologist
• A microbiologist is a scientist who works in
the field of biology. Microbiologists can be
known under different names depending on
the field of microbiology they specialize in. A
medical microbiologist will specialize in the
diagnosis and treatment of microbial
diseases in patients.
• Salary:$40,000/yr
• Education: Bachelors degree in an area of
specialty.
Epidemiologist
• Identify and track diseases as they occur in a
group of people. Determine risk factors that
make the disease more likely to occur and
evaluate situations that may cause
occupational exposure to toxic substances.
• Salary: $40,000 +
• Education: Minimum of bachelors degree,
Masters degree is recommended.
Ethicist
• Offers guidance to patients, their familes,
professional staff on ethical, legal and policy
issues and concerns. Provides guidance to
institutional ethics committees to follow policy
and educational review activites.
• Salary: $70,000/yr
• Education: Masters or Doctorate related to
health ethics and at least 5 years of
experience in the field.