Immunology: Autoimmunity and Hypersensitivity

📋 Course Outline

1. Immune System Functions
2. Hypersensitivity Types
3. Autoimmune Disorders
4. Immunodeficiency Causes
5. HIV Pathogenesis
6. Chemotherapy Effects
7. Autoimmune Disease Treatment
8. Immunosuppressive Drugs
9. Neutropenia and Infection
10. Specific Pathologies

📖 1. Immune System Functions

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Antigen: A substance that triggers an immune response, typically a foreign protein, polysaccharide, or molecule recognized by the immune system (source content).
• Antibodies: Proteins produced by B cells that specifically recognize and bind to antigens, facilitating their neutralization or destruction (source content).
• B cells: A type of lymphocyte responsible for producing antibodies, playing a crucial role in humoral immunity (source content).
• Macrophages: Phagocytic immune cells that engulf pathogens, present antigens to T cells, and secrete cytokines to coordinate immune responses (source content).
• Cytotoxic T cells (CD8): T lymphocytes that directly kill infected or cancerous cells by recognizing specific antigens presented on their surface (source content).
• Helper T cells (CD4): T lymphocytes that assist other immune cells by releasing cytokines, enhancing the immune response, and aiding B cell activation (source content).
• Dendritic cells: Antigen-presenting cells that process antigens and present them to T cells, initiating adaptive immunity (source content).
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