UNIVERSITY OF BAHRI
COLLEAGE OF VETRINARY
MEDICINE
IMMUNOLGY
By
ROA BABIKIR
Immunology
Is the science that studies the structure
and function of the immune system.
The immune system
A system of biological structure and
processes within an organism that
protects against disease.
Immunity
The mechanism of how the immune
system protect the body ,or the defense
mechanism of the immune system
Immune response
The reaction of immune system against
the components of microbes,
macromolecules that are recognized as
foreign.
Immune response is affected by the food we
eat, environmental, age, sex, infection history,
and genetics. In higher organisms Immune
response can be broadly categorized into
Innate immunity:
Innate immunity generates first line
and second line immune responses.
It is the most evolutionarily
conserved arm of the immune
system. Most components of innate
immunity are present before the
onset of infection.
The innate immunity comprise four types
of defensive barriers:
1- anatomic: The skin and the surface of
mucous membranes are included in this
category because they are effective
barriers to the entry of most
microorganisms.
2- physiologic: Temperature, Low pH and
3- phagocytic: blood monocytes,
neutrophils and tissue macrophages
are phagocytose, kill, and digest whole
microorganisms.
4- inflammatory: Tissue damage and
infection induce leakage of vascular
fluid, containing serum proteins with
antibacterial activity, and influx of
Many of the cells in the innate
immune system (such as dendritic
cells, macrophages, mast cells,
neutrophils,
basophils and eosinophils) produce
cytokines or interact with other cells
directly in order to activate the
adaptive immune system.
General features of Adaptive immunity
Adaptive immunity generates third line
immune responses.
Does not come into play until there is an
antigenic challenge to the organism.
1- Self discrimination :
The system posses the ability to recognize
foreign substance from self .
2- Specificity :
The immune response is very specific for
distinct microbial components like protein
or nuclic acid, lipids ...ect collectively
termed (PAMPs) pathogen-associated
molecular patterns.
3- Diversity :
different types of lymphocyte respond to a
4- Immunologic memory
(Memorization) :
First exposure to an antigen enhance
the system to respond again to a
second or subsequent exposures to
the same antigen in a rapid , large ,
strong type of immune response .
The antigenic specificity of the immune
system permits it to distinguish
differences among antigens. Antibodies
can distinguish between two protein
molecules that differ in only a single
amino acid. The immune system is
capable of generating diversity in its
recognition molecules, allowing it to
Once the immune system has
recognized and responded to an
antigen, it exhibits immunologic
memory. Finally, the immune system
normally responds only to foreign
antigens, indicating that it is capable
of self/non self recognition.
Adaptive immune responses can be
divided into :
1- Humoral immunity :
Is mediated by proteins circulating in
the blood called antibodies which are
produced by plasma cell (B
lymphocytes)
2- Cell mediated immunity or cellular
Differences between types of immune
response :
Innate immune Adaptive immune
response response
Antigen independent Antigen dependent
No time lag A lag period
No Immunologic Development of
memory memory
Not antigen specific antigen specific
Significance of the Immune System
Beneficial:
Protection from Invaders.
Elimination of Altered Self.
Detrimental:
Discomfort (inflammation).
Damage to self (autoimmunity).
