BLOOD PHYSIOLOGY

(PHS 203)

Dr. Olayinka O. A.
Department of Physiology
School of Basic Medical Sciences
Babcock University
([email protected])

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Weeks 11 & 12: Immunity, immunodeficiency disease & HIV

• Immunity is the resistance acquired by a host against injury caused by

invading microorganisms (pathogens) and their products.

• Protection against infectious agents is only one of the consequences of

the immune response, as the immune system reacts against any foreign
antigen introduced to the body.

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Immunity
- Components of Immune system
Types of immunity
- Innate immunity and Mechanism
- Adaptive immunity and Mechanism
Antigens
- Origin of Antigens
- Immunogen
Antibodies (Immunoglobulin)
- Structure
- Classification
- Function of each antibody

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Types of
Immunity
2 main types
• Innate / Native /Inherited Immunity
• Acquired /Adaptive / Learned
Immunity

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 Immunity

Innate Acquired
Immunity Immunity

Non-Specific

Active Passive
Specific

Natural Artificial:
•Contact Vaccines Natural Artificial
with •Killed •Placenta •Immune
disease •Attenuated •mother’s serum
•Toxoid milk
•Recombinant DNA
E.g.rubella,mumps 6
 Innate or Native Immunity
• Resistance possessed by an individual by birth i.e. inherited. 3 levels

• Provides first line of defense against infections.

Species Racial Individual
immunity immunity immunity

Innate immunity provides resistance to infection which an individual

possesses by virtue of his/her genetic and constitutional makeup. It is not
affected by prior contact with microorganisms or immunization.

Non specific : Indicate a degree of resistance to infections in general.

Specific: Resistance to a particular pathogen.

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 Innate Immunity

Species immunity
Resistance to pathogen, shown by all members of a particular
species. e.g. some pathogens infects human beings but not
chickens.
Racial Immunity
Within a species, different races may show difference in
susceptibility to infections. e.g. Genetic resistance: Plasmodium
falciparum.
Individual immunity
Resistance to infection varies with different individuals of same
race and species e.g. Homozygous twins exhibit similar resistance
susceptibility to some infections while such is not seen in
heterozygous twins.
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Factors affecting innate immunity
1. AGE
•Foetus, new born and old persons have higher susceptibility to infections.
•In the foetus, immune system is immature where as in old age, there is gradual
decline of immune responses.
•In some diseases, clinical illness is more severe in adults than in young children
due to more active immune response which causes greater tissue damage e.g.
chicken pox and poliomyelitis.

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2. HORMONES
Some hormonal disorders enhance susceptibility to infections e.g. in
type 2 diabetes mellitus, staphylococcal sepsis is more common in
diabetes, which may be caused by increased level of glucose in the
tissues.

3. NUTRITION
Both innate and adaptive immunity are reduced in malnutrition. e.g. in
Kwashiorkor (severe protein deficiency), immune response is reduced.

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Mechanisms of innate immunity
• Epithelial surfaces
• Antibacterial substances
• Cellular factors
• Inflammation
• Fever

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Epithelial surfaces
Skin
 provides mechanical barrier to microorganisms
 provides bactericidal secretions
 the resident bacterial flora of the skin and mucous surfaces prevent colonization by
pathogens.
 alteration of normal flora may lead to invasion by extraneous microbes and cause serious
diseases.

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Respiratory tract
• The respiratory tract is lined by moist mucous surfaces which act as trapping
mechanism.

• Inhaled particles are trapped in the nasal passage on moist mucous membrane surfaces.

• The hair- like cilia propels the particles towards the pharynx and are swallowed or
coughed out.

• Some particles which manage to reach alveoli are ingested by phagocytes.

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Intestinal tract
• saliva present in mouth inhibits many microorganisms.
• acidic pH of gastric juices destroys the swallowed bacteria if any.
• normal flora of intestine prevent colonization of pathogens.

Conjunctiva
•Tears flush away bacteria and other dust particles
• Lysozyme present in tears has bactericidal action.

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Genitourinary tract
• Urine eliminate bacteria from the urethra by its flushing action.
• Acidic pH of vaginal secretion due to fermentation of glycogen by
lactobacilus makes vagina free from microorganisms. In males, semen is
also believed to have some antibacterial substance.

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SITES OF INNATE IMMUNE ACTION

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