Unit 2 Section 5.2 Immune System

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  • The Immune System
    • Primary Defences
      • the body has a number of primary defences that help prevent pathogens and parasites from entering it. These include the skin and mucous membranes
        • The Skin
          • This acts as a physical barrier, blocking pathogens from entering the body. it also acts as a chemical barrier by producing antimicrobial chemicals and can lower pH, inhibiting the growth of pathogens.
        • Mucous membranes
          • These protect body openings that are exposed to the environment. some mucous membranes secrete mucus - a sticky substance that traps pathogens and contains antimicrobial enzymes
    • The Immune response
      • if a pathogen or parasite gets past the primary defences and enters the body, the immune system will respond.
      • an immune response is the body's reaction to a foreign antigen.
      • antigens are molecules found on the surface of cells
      • when a pathogen invades the body, the antigen on its cell surface are identified as foreign, which activates cells in the immune system
    • The main stages of the immune response
      • 1. phagocytosis
      • 2. T lymphocyte activation
      • 3. B lymphocyte activation and plasma production
      • 4. Antibody production
    • Cell signalling and the Immune response
      • cell signalling is basically how cells communicate
      • a cell may release a substance that binds to the receptors on another cell
      • this causes a response of some kind in the other cell
      • cell signalling is really important in the immune response because it helps to acitivate all the different types of white blood cells that are needed

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