Body's Third Line of Defence Mechanism: Nonspecific Resistance (Innate Immunity)

Body’s Third line of defence Mechanism
The third line of defence against pathogenic invasion is the

adaptive immune response, which has two key qualities:
 It is specific (it can differentiate between specific
microorganisms and respond accordingly)
 It is adaptive (it can produce a heightened response upon re-
exposure - in other words, it has memory)
Nonspecific Resistance (Innate Immunity) The second line of

defense is nonspecific resistance that destroys invaders in a
generalized way without targeting specific individuals:
Phagocytic cells ingest and destroy all microbes that pass
into body tissues. For example macrophages are cells
derived from monocytes (a type of white blood cell).
Macrophages leave the bloodstream and enter body tissues
to patrol for pathogens. When the macrophage encounters a
microbe, this is what happens:
 The microbe attaches to the phagocyte.
 The phagocyte's plasma membrane extends and
surrounds the microbe and takes the microbe into the
cell in a vesicle.
 The vesicle merges with a lysosome, which contains
digestive enzymes.
 The digestive enzymes begin to break down the
microbe. The phagocyte uses any nutrients it can and
leaves the rest as indigestible material and antigenic
fragments within the vesicle.
 The phagocyte makes protein markers, and they enter
the vesicle.
 The indigestible material is removed by exocytosis.
 The antigenic fragments bind to the protein marker and
are displayed on the plasma membrane surface. The
macrophage then secretes interleukin-1 which activates
the T cells to secrete interleukin 2, as described below
under specific resistance .
Specific Resistance (Acquired Immunity) The third line of
defense is specific resistance. This system relies on antigens,
which are specific substances found in foreign microbes.
Most antigens are proteins that serve as the stimulus to produce
an immune response. The term "antigen" comes from ANTI-
body GENerating substances.
Here are the steps in an immune response:
1. When an antigen is detected by a macrophage (as
describe above under phagocytosis), this causes the T-
cells to become activated.
The activation of T-cells by a specific antigen is
called cell-mediated immunity. The body contains
millions of different T-cells, each able to respond to
one specific antigen.
2.The T-cells secrete interleukin 2. Interleukin 2 causes the

proliferation of certain cytotoxic T cells and B cells.
3.From here, the immune response follows 2 paths: one path uses
cytotoxic T cells and the other uses B cells.
Cytotoxic T Cell Pathway
 The cytotoxic T cells are capable of recognizing
antigens on the surface of infected body cells.
 The cytotoxic T cells bind to the infected cells and
secrete cytotoxins that induce apoptosis (cell suicide)
in the infected cell and perforins that cause perforations
in the infected cells.
 Both of these mechanisms destroys the pathogen in the
infected body cell.

Activation of a helper T cell and its roles in immunity:
T Cell Pathway
 T-cells can either directly destroy the microbes or use

chemical secretions to destroy them.
 At the same time, T cells stimulate B cells to divide,
forming plasma cells that are able to
produce antibodies and memory B cells.
 If the same antigen enters the body later, the memory B cells
divide to make more plasma cells and memory cells that can
protect against future attacks by the same antigen.
 When the T cells activate (stimulate) the B cells to divide
into plasma cells, this is called antibody-mediated
immunity.
Antibodies
Antibodies (also called immunoglobulins or Ig's) are Y-shaped
proteins that circulate through the blood stream and bind to
specific antigens, thereby attacking microbes.
The antibodies are transported through the blood and the lymph to
the pathogen invasion site.
The body contains millions of different B cells, each able to
respond to one specific antigen.
There are 4 classes of antibodies (listed from most common to
least common):
 IgG
 IgM
 IgA
 IgE
 IgD
Each antibody is made of four polypeptide (protein) chains:
2 heavy chains and 2 light chains. Both heavy chains are identical
to each other and both light chains are identical to each other.
Each contains a constant region and a variable region. The
constant region forms the main part of the molecule while the
variable regions forms the antigen-binding site.Each antibody has
2 antigen-binding sites.
Antibodies work in different ways:
1. Neutralizing an Antigen
The antibody can bind to an antigen, forming an antigen-antibody
complex. This forms a shield around the antigen, preventing its
normal function. This is how toxins from bacteria can be
neutralized or how a cell can prevent a viral antigen from binding
to a body cell thereby preventing infection.
2. Activating Complement:
Complement is a group of plasma proteins made by the liver that
normally are inactive in the body. An antigen-antibody complex
triggers a series of reactions that activates these proteins. Some of
the activated proteins can cluster together to form a pore or
channel that inserts into a microbe's plasma membrane.This lyses
(ruptures) the cell. Other complement proteins can cause
chemotaxis and inflammation, both of which increase the number
of white blood cells at the site of invasion.
3. Precipitating Antigens
Sometimes the antibodies can bind to the same free antigen to
cross-link them. This causes the antigen to precipitate out of
solution, making it easier for phagocytic cells to ingest them by
phagocytosis (as describe above).
Also, the antigens within the cells walls of the bacteria can cross-
link, causes the bacteria to clump together in a process
called agglutination, again making it easier for phagocytic cells to
ingest them by phagocytosis.
4. Facilitating Phagocytosis
The antigen-antibody complex signals phagocytic cells to attack.
The complex also binds to the surface of macrophages to further
facilitate phagocytosis.
There are 3 major types of T cells:
1. Cytotoxic T cells
These cells secrete cytotoxin which triggers destruction of the
pathogen's DNA or perforin which is a protein that creates holes
in the pathogens plasma membrane. The holes cause the pathogen
to lyse (rupture).

2. Helper T cells
These cells secrete interleukin 2 (I-2) which stimulates cell
division of T cells and B cells. In other words, these cells recruit
even more cells to help fight the pathogen.
3. Memory T cells
These cells remain dormant after the initial exposure to an
antigen. If the same antigen presents itself again, even if it is
years later, the memory cells are stimulated to convert themselves
into cytotoxic T cells and help fight the pathogen.
——-THE END——

Body's Third Line of Defence Mechanism: Nonspecific Resistance (Innate Immunity)

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Body’s Third line of defence Mechanism

The third line of defence against pathogenic invasion is the

Nonspecific Resistance (Innate Immunity) The second line of

2.The T-cells secrete interleukin 2. Interleukin 2 causes the

 T-cells can either directly destroy the microbes or use

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