Defence Mechanism in Animals
The Immune System
The Immune System
We are surrounded by billions of bacteria and
viruses
Luckily for us, getting into the human body is
not an easy task!
For the microbes, a human is a bit like a fortress.
In spite of our fantastic defenses, hostile invaders
still manage to get through.
But what keeps us healthy most of the time is our
highly developed Immune System
The Immune Response
The protective response of the body against
invading pathogenic microbes is called
Immune Response
In the absence of immune response even
minor infections can prove fatal.
The First Line of Defense
The first line of defense against invaders is
mechanical or physical barriers
Eg: The skin; the membranes lining the
respiratory, digestive, urinary, and
reproductive tracts.
The barriers are also defended by secretions
containing enzymes that can destroy
bacteria.
Eg: Tears in the eyes and secretions in the
skin, digestive tract.
Identifying Invaders
To be able to destroy invaders, the immune
system must be able to distinguish nonself
(foreign) from self
All cells have identification molecules on their
surface.
In humans, the identification molecules are called
Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA), or the Major
Histocompatibility complex (MHC).
HLA / MHC are a group of molecules that are
located on the surface of cells and that are unique
in each organism, enabling the body to distinguish
self from nonself
Identifying Invaders
A cell with molecules on its surface that are
not identical to those on the body's own
cells is identified as being foreign.
The immune system then attacks that cell.
Such a cell may be a microorganism, a cell
from transplanted tissue, or one of the
body's cells that has been infected by an
invading microorganism
The Second Line of Defense
The next line of defense is the Innate /
Nonspecific immunity
It is present at birth.
It provides an immediate response
It is called non specific because its
components treat all foreign substances in
much the same way
The Third Line of Defense
If pathogens evade the Innate Response,
vertebrates possess a third layer of protection
the Adaptive / Specific Immunity
It is activated by the innate response
The immune system adapts its response to
improve its recognition of the pathogen
After the pathogen is eliminated,
immunological memory is retained
Innate Immune System Adaptive Immune System
Response is non specific
Pathogen and antigen
specific response
On exposure, immediate
maximal response
Lag time between exposure
and maximal response
No immunological
memory
Exposure leads to
immunological memory
Found in nearly all forms
of life
Found only in jawed
vertebrates
The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is a major part of the
immune system
The lymphatic system is a complex network
of lymphoid organs, lymph nodes, lymph
ducts, lymphatic tissues, lymph capillaries
and lymph vessels that produce and
transport lymph fluid from tissues to the
circulatory system
Lymphoid Organs
The organs in which the immune cells (WBCs)
originate and mature are called Primary Lymphoid
Organs.
Thymus gland and bone marrow are Primary
Lymphoid Organs
The immune cells after maturation migrate to certain
other organs where they settle down and function.
These are called Secondary Lymphoid organs
Lymph nodes, Spleen, tonsils, liver, appendix, and
Peyer's patches are examples of Secondary Lymphoid
Organs
Immune Cells
The white blood cells or leukocytes are
responsible for the immune response.
They are present throughout the body some are resident in tissues and others
circulate body fluids.
The bone marrow produces several types of
white blood cells
When needed to defend the body, the white
blood cells are mobilized, mainly from the
bone marrow
Leukocytes (WBCs)
There are three major types of leukocytes:
1. Granulocytes: They have granules in the cytoplasm
and multilobed nucleus. The three types are
(i) Neutrophils
(ii) Eosinophils
(iii) Basophils
2. Monocytes: They circulate in the blood or move to
the tissues where they mature to macrophages
3. Lymphocytes: The different types are
(i) B Lymphocytes/ B cells
(ii) T Lymphocytes/ T cells
(iii) Natural Killer Cells
Granulocytes
They are part of the Non Specific Defense
System (innate defense) and are responsible
for acute inflammation
Neutrophils ingests and kills foreign cells.
They are phagocytic but do not survive the act
Eosinophils are involved in allergic reactions
and parasitic infections.
Basophil releases histamine and produces
substances to attract neutrophils and
eosinophils to a trouble spot.
Granulocytes
The granulocytes are often the first to
fight an infection.
They attack any invader in large
numbers, and "eat" until they themselves
die.
The pus in an infected wound consists
chiefly of dead granulocytes.
Monocytes and Macrophages
Macrophages develop from a type of white blood
cell called monocytes
When infection occurs, monocytes leave the
bloodstream and move into the tissues.
There, over a period of about 8 hours, monocytes
enlarge greatly and produce granules within
themselves.
The granules are filled with enzymes and other
substances that help digest bacteria and other
foreign cells.
Monocytes and Macrophages
Monocytes that have enlarged and contain
granules are macrophages.
Macrophages stay in the tissues.
They ingest bacteria, foreign cells, and
damaged and dead cells.
The process of a cell ingesting a
microorganism, another cell, or cell
fragments is called phagocytosis, and cells
that ingest are called phagocytes.
Lymphocytes
They originate in the bone marrow
They are involved in Specific Immunity /
Adaptive Immunity
The B cells originate and mature in the Bone
marrow
The T cells originate in the Bone marrow but they
migrate to the Thymus where they mature
Natural Killer Cells are also a type of lymphocyte
that is formed ready to kill certain microorganisms
and cancer cells unlike the B and T Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes
B lymphocytes recognize invaders directly.
But T lymphocytes need the help of other
cells of the immune system called
antigen-presenting cells.
Antigen presenting cells ingest an invader
and break it into fragments.
Antigen fragments from the invader are
then "presented" in a way that T
lymphocytes can recognize
Recognition of Antigens by T Lymphocytes
Killer T Cells
Antibody Molecule
Antigen Antibody Binding
Having two binding sites allow
agglutination
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Apoptosis
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