INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

IMMUNOBIOLOGY
BIOLOGY 151
LECTURE 1
Marilen M. Parungao-
Balolong
Associate Professor
IMMUNOLOGY/
IMMUNOBIOLOGY

Immunology = study of our protection from

foreign macromolecules or invading
organisms and our responses to them

INVADERS = viruses, bacteria, protozoa or

even larger parasites

immune responses DEVELOPED against our own

proteins (and other molecules) in
autoimmunity and against our own aberrant
cells in tumor immunity
OVERVIEW
OF THE
IMMUNE
SYSTEM

composed of two major subdivisions, the innate or non-specic

immune system and the adaptive or specic immune system

each of the major subdivisions of the immune system has both

cellular and humoral components by which they carry out their
protective function

these two arms of the immune system have distinct functions, there
is interplay between these systems (i.e., components of the innate
immune system inuence the adaptive immune system and vice versa)
FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
= innate or non-specic

barrier tissues such as the skin that stop the entry

of organism into our bodies

IF these barrier layers are penetrated,

the body contains cells that respond
rapidly to the presence of the invader

EXAMPLE = macrophages and neutrophils that

engulf foreign organisms and kill them without the
need for antibodies

EXAMPLE = soluble molecules that deprive the

invading organism of essential nutrients (such as
iron) and from certain molecules that are found on
the surfaces of epithelia, in secretions (such as tears
and saliva) and in the blood stream
2ND LINE OF DEFENSE =
specic or adaptive

may take days to respond to a primary

invasion (that is infection by an organism that
has not hitherto been seen)

production of antibodies (soluble proteins

that bind to foreign antigens) and cell-
mediated responses in which specic
cells recognize foreign pathogens and destroy
them

EXAMPLE = response in recognition and

destruction of virally-infected or tumorigenic
cells

response to a second round of infection is often more rapid than to

the primary infection because of the activation of memory B and T cells

signals may be proteins such as lymphokines, cytokines and chemokines

which stimulate cells of the immune system
CELLS OF
THE
IMMUNE
SYSTEM

All cells of the immune system have their origin in the bone marrow which
differentiate along distinct pathways (to discuss later)

The myeloid progenitor (stem) cell in the bone marrow gives rise to
erythrocytes, platelets, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages and dendritic
cells whereas the lymphoid progenitor (stem) cell gives rise to the
NK, T cells and B cells

For T cell development

the precursor T cells
must migrate to the
thymus where they
undergo differentiation
into two distinct types
of T cells, the CD4+ T
helper cell and the
CD8+ pre-cytotoxic T
cell

Two types of T helper cells are produced in the thymus the TH1
cells, which help the CD8+ pre-cytotoxic cells to differentiate into
cytotoxic T cells, and TH2 cells, which help B cells, differentiate
into plasma cells, which secrete antibodies
FUNCTION OF THE
IMMUNE SYSTEM

The main function of the immune system is self/non-self

discrimination

ability to distinguish between self and non-self is necessary to

protect the organism from invading pathogens and to eliminate
modied or altered cells (e.g. malignant cells)
FUNCTION OF THE
IMMUNE SYSTEM

NOTE: when the virulence of the

invading organism is great or when
immunity is compromised =
DISEASE

detrimental effects = inammation,

which is the response to an invading
organism, there may be local
discomfort and collateral damage
to healthy tissue as a result of the
toxic products produced by the
immune response

the immune response can be

directed toward self tissues resulting
in autoimmune disease
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 3, Issue 1, July-September 1998, Pages 54-60
! 2001 Discovery of FOXP3 the gene directing regulatory T cell development
! 2005 Development of human papillomavirus vaccine (Ian Frazer)
NEXT MEETING:
INNATE & ADAPTIVE
IMMUNITY