Biology - MYP 3 - 13th October

MYP3 Biology Notes: Immunology
Immune system: The protector

 The body has multiple defenses against potential pathogens
 Some of the passive defensive barriers include:
 the skin
 lysozyme in the tears and saliva
 Stomach acid
 The active protection against pathogens is performed by the immune system
 There are two branches of immune system: Innate immune system and adaptive
immune system
 Cells of innate immune system are non – specific. They are the first to react
 The cells of adaptive immune system are called lymphocytes. They are highly specific
and are able to “remember” the pathogens they have once encountered. They are
responsible for the long-term immunity
The air, the water, the food and the surfaces around us are populated with microorganisms.
Some are quite harmless, some are useful, and a percentage of them are quite dangerous.
The latter group can cause serious illnesses that can damage our body, from simple colds to
food poisonings. But thankfully, most people do not get sick easily. They have several
defensive barriers in place. Besides those barriers, there is a complex defensive system that
actively destroys potentially harmful organisms through several mechanisms. It is called
the immune system.
Let us imagine there is a nasty microorganism outside that really wants to get inside our
body. There are so many cells that can be invaded and used to its advantage, and our blood
has all kinds of nutrients that a parasite would just die for. But in order to reach those
treasures of ours, it has to get in first. And it is not that easy. Even before encountering the
immune system, it has to overcome the passive barriers present.
First line of defense: skin, enzymes and acids

 Physical barriers: the skin
Look at yourself in the mirror. Our whole body is covered with a complex structure called
the skin. It has multiple layers and is very hard to penetrate. You need a special instrument
to break the skin – for example a proboscis of a mosquito, a claw, or a sting. Then the
microorganisms can potentially invade.
 Chemical barriers: Lysozyme and other enzymes

Our face has several potential entry points for pathogens. The mouth and the eye can be
typical examples. The eye is a very complex structure, and some of its most delicate
components are constantly exposed to the outside – in order for us to see. And the mouth
is, obviously, a place where the food enters. And with food, any kind of microorganisms can
enter as well. But there is a solution! In areas where the body cannot form thick barriers – it
uses chemistry. Our tears and our saliva have a special enzyme that can kill bacteria very
Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

effectively. It is called lysozyme. Our saliva also contains digestive enzymes that can both
help digest the food and the bacteria it can potentially contain.
 Restricting movement: Wax and mucus
If you cannot destroy them – detain them. This approach is very effectively used in our
noses and our ears. The mucous tissues in our noses produce a complex substance
called mucus. It surrounds the dust and the potential pathogens and then we can eliminate
them all when we sneeze. The cells in our ears use similar approach – they produce earwax.
It also surrounds all foreign objects and then all of them can be easily eliminated.
 The stomach acid
Even if a microorganism has survived the tough environment of our mouths, it can
potentially be destroyed later. When we digest food, the stomach is filled with extremely
active acid. Most microorganisms cannot survive it.
But despite those effective mechanical and chemical barriers, the pathogens still get into
our bodies. They have different ways to overcome our walls. And that is where the second
line of defense is waiting for them – our immune system.
The Army Behind The Wall: The Immune System

Our immune system is unique. In the most systems of our body, we have a chain of organs,
where each organ has its own specific function. The immune system is organized differently.
It is spread around our body. And its main drivers are not organs, but immune cells. And
these immune cells, in their turn, perform a variety of functions:
 destroy pathogens
 destroy infected, damaged and old cells
 destroy potential cancer cells
 produce antibodies
 produce antitoxins
As you can see, immune cells not only destroy any potential foreign organisms, they also
support the integrity of the body – the homeostasis.
Our immune cells are also called white blood cells. There are several types of immune cells
and all of them are produced in the bone marrow from special stem cells. These cells are
also called hematopoetic, as they are the starting point of production of all cells in the
blood – red blood cells and white blood cells.
Though there are multiple types of immune cells, they can be grouped into two major
divisions depending on the way when and how they respond to the invasion: there
are innate immunity cells and adaptive immunity cells.

Examples of innate and adaptive immunity cell
How are they different?
Innate immunity: First responders
The cells of innate immunity are the first on the spot. They are like patrol officers. They
circulate in our bloodstream, are present in our lymph nodes and even in our lungs. There
several major innate immunity cells:
 macrophages
 neutrophils
 dendritic cells
Macrophages and neutrophils are phagocytic cells. After they identify the intruder, they
surround it and use special enzymes and hydrogen peroxide to destroy it. This process is
called phagocytosis.

The process of phagocytosis
Dendritic cells, in their turn, are not warriors. But they are very important as well. They are
taking up pieces of the invading bacteria or viruses and push them up to their cellular
membranes, so the receptors of other cells can interact with them. This process is
called antigen presenting.
Anything can be an antigen – a foreign molecule, a molecule of the body itself, or even a
whole pathogen such as a virus. And it is important to “present” it to other cells because of
a very interesting mechanism our immune system has. You see, the innate immune cells are
only interested if the object they meet is foreign or not. They only differentiate “self” from

“non-self”. They are non – specific. But the cells of adaptive immunity know exactly who
they are dealing with.
Adaptive immunity: special forces
The cells of adaptive immunity system are called lymphocytes. There are two main types of
lymphocytes. Each type mounts their own specific defense against the invading enemy.
If a dendritic cell brings its piece of an antigen to a T-lymphocyte, or a T-cell, it would start
a cellular immunity response. T-cells have specific receptors on their surfaces. Each
particular T – cell has receptors for parts of a specific bacterium, virus or other agent. So
when a dendritic cell shows its antigen, T-cells with suitable receptors flock to the area of
infection. Then they destroy the bacteria or infected cells in question.
If our antigen presenting cell would go another type of lymphocyte called the B-
lymphocyte or a B-cell, it would trigger humoral immunity response. B-cells do not kill
directly. They produce specific proteins that can tightly stick to the pathogen – antibodies.
Again, there are specific antibodies that react only with specific organisms. They are not
universal. When the organism is “marked” with antibodies, it is much easier to kill and
destroy.
What is great about adaptive immunity is the fact that if they ever encounter a particular
agent of infection, they would remember it. And if it tries to invade again, they will mount
the defense twice as rapidly and quickly clear it away. That is why we say that we have
immunity to rubella or chickenpox – once we had this particular disease, the information
gets written down by our immune cells. And next time, they would easily eliminate the
same virus.
This same principle is behind vaccinations. A vaccine contains parts of certain viruses and
bacteria. They are weak enough not to cause a real illness, but foreign enough to force our
immune cells to produce antibodies to them. And when we actually encounter the infection,
we either would not have it at all, or we would have only a mild illness, not a full-blown one
with lots of complications.
Thankfully, our body is not that easy to destroy. But we also should remember that by
supporting it in any way we can – eating nourishing meals, keeping clean and fit – we help it
defend itself better.
Types of Immune System
We, humans, have two types of Immune system and are classified based on whether they
are present at the time of birth or not.
1. Innate Immune System.

2. Adaptive Immune System.

Innate Immune System
Immune System fights against microbes and prevent their entry inside the body.
Innate Immune System is composed of cells and proteins that are always present and are
ready to fight against microbes in the infection area. Innate Immune System is present from
the time of our birth.
Main elements of the innate immune system are –
 Dendritic cells.
 Phagocytic leukocytes.
 Natural killer (NK) cell.
 Physical epithelial barriers.
 Circulating plasma proteins.
Adaptive Immune System
The adaptive immune system is required to fight against pathogens that cannot be
controlled by innate immune defences. It is also referred to as the acquired immune system
because it is acquired during the course of life. They are specific to the type of pathogen
invading the body.
All the components of the adaptive immune system are generally inactive however when
activated these components adjust to the presence of all the infectious agents by
proliferating and developing a potent mechanism for eliminating the microbes.
Two Types of adaptive responses are – humoral immunity moderated by antibodies which
are developed by B lymphocytes and cell-mediated immunity, moderated by T
Lymphocytes.
Immunology and Diseases
Immunological diseases are caused by defects in immune system. The immune system may
be hyperactivated to release antibodies and other chemicals. This results in allergy and
anaphylaxis. Sometimes the immune system fails to differentiate self cells from no-self cells,
resulting in autoimmune diseases. In this situation, the immune system is challenged and
evoke responses that damage cells and tissues rather than protecting. All the

immunodeficiency diseases increase the risk of tumours and infections and are caused by
malnutrition, immune suppresents, gene mutations, and viruses such as HIV.
References and further reading:

[1.] https://openi.nlm.nih.gov/detailedresult.php?img=PMC4381333_DMM018036F1&req=
4 – Innate and adaptive immunity cells diagram
[2.] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phagocytosis – phagocytosis diagram
[3.] http://www.assignmentpoint.com/science/medical/dendritic-cell-and-its-role-in-
adaptive-immunity.html – dendritic cell image
[4.] Janeway, C. A. et al. (2001) Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease.
5th edition. New York. Garland Science, 2001.

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MYP3 Biology Notes: Immunology

Immune system: The protector

First line of defense: skin, enzymes and acids

 Chemical barriers: Lysozyme and other enzymes

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

The Army Behind The Wall: The Immune System

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

Types of Immune System

1. Innate Immune System.

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

Main elements of the innate immune system are –

Adaptive Immune System

Immunology and Diseases

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

References and further reading:

Middle Years Programme | Indus International School, Pune | 2023-24

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