Immunology Chapter 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

Resistant to infection

The tissues, cells, and molecules involved in the defense of the body against infectious agents

The ability to resist infection

The deliberate provocation of an adaptive immune response by introducing the antigen into the body

A microorganism that habitually lives on or in the human body, and which normally causes no disease or harm and can even be beneficial

The community of microbial species that inhabits a particular niche in the human body, such as skin, mouth, gut, or vagina

Any organism with the potential to cause disease

Organisms that do not normally cause trouble for a human, but can cause illness if the body's defenses are weakened or if the microbe gets into the 'wrong' place

Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Parasites (protozoa/helminths)

Layers of cells that line the outer surface and inner cavities of the body
ex: skin, epithelia lining on respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts

The mucus-coated outer surfaces of tissues, such as the gut, lungs, eyes, and vagina, which communicate with the external environment to provide the body with material and information. The surfaces are delicate and they are protected by the mucus.

Slimy protective secretion composed of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, peptides, and enzymes that is produced by the goblet cells in many internal epithelia

Antimicrobial peptides produced by epithelial cells that kill bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses by perturbing their membranes

Consists of two parts: recognition and destruction of the pathogen
General characteristics: rapid response (hours); Fixed; limited number of specificities; constant during response

The physiological and cellular processes used by the immune system to destroy pathogens and remove them from the body