Palmoplantar Rash - Secondary Syphilis

Innate Immunity - intro

First line of defence + first to act

A primitive response (exists in animals and some plants)

Non-specialised and without ‘memory’

Consists of:

Physical barriers (eg skin and mucosa//tight junctions, airflow)

Chemical barriers (eg enzymes, lung surfactant, antimicrobals)

Soluble mediators of inflammation (eg cytokines)

Microbal defence (eg commensal competition, secreted antimicrobals)

Cells (eg phagocytes)

Receptors to recognise presence of pathogen/injury - results in inflammation

Soluble Mediators

Complement Proteins

liver-derived 

circulate in serum in inactive form

activated by pathogens during innate response

functions include lysis, chemotaxis and opsonisation

Auxiliary Cells

Mediate inflammation as part of the immune response. The main auxiliary cells involved in the immune response are Basophils, Mast cells and Platelets.

Basophils 

Leukocyte containing granules 

on degranulation release histamine + platelet activating factor

causing increased vascular permeability and smooth muscle contraction

also synthesise and secrete other mediators that control the development of immune system reactions

Mast Cells

Also contain granules 

However they are not circulating cells - found close to blood vessels in all types of tissue especially mucosal and epithelial tissues.

rapidly release inflammatory histamine but this is IgE dependant so not innate

Platelets 

normally function in blood clotting

also release inflammatory mediators

Cytokines and chemokines

Produced by many cells but especially mØ (macrophages), initiate inflammatory response and act on blood vessels 

interferons - antiviral protection

chemokines - recruit cells

interleukines - fever inducing, IL-6 induces acute phase proteins 

IL-1 - encourages leukocytes to migrate to infected/damaged tissue

as does tumour necrosis factor (TNFa)

Acute phase proteins

Liver derived proteins 

plasma concentrations increase (positive acute-phase proteins) or decrease (negative acute-phase proteins) in response to inflammation

called the acute-phase reaction 

triggered by inflammatory cytokines ( IL-1, IL-6, TNFα)

help mediate inflammation ( fever, leukocytosis, increased cortisol, decreased thyroxine, decreased serum iron, etc)

activate complement opsonisation 

Inflammation 

Cells

Cytotoxic Cells

Eosinophils/natural killer cells, cytotoxic T cells

kill target via release of toxic granules 

dendritic cell derived IL-12 helps activate NK cells

Phagocytes

mono-nuclear = long-lived; polynuclear = short-lived

engulf, internalize and destroy 

phagosome forms around microbe

enzyme filled with lysosomes fuses to form phagolysosome

organism is digested

fragments are either ‘presented’ or exocytosed

phagocytosis requires recognition of microbe via receptors for

PAMPs (pathogen associated molecular patterns - eg flagella or capsule) - recognised by toll-like receptors 

activated complement

antibody

The innate immune response primes for the adaptive 

B-cells are primed by activated complement

Th1 cell differentiation needs pro-inflammatory cytokines

Dose Dependent effects of Dopamine mnemonic

Simplified version of Dopamine’s dose-dependent MAJOR effects:

low doses - activates D1 receptors (Gs) - vasodilates renal blood vessels*

med.doses - activates B1 receptors (Gs) - increases heart rate/contractility etc..

high doses - activates A1 (Gq) - vasoconstricts,

*increased renal perfusion, GFR, also vasodilates mesenteric and coronary vessels 

source: http://reference.medscape.com/drug/intropin-dopamine-342435

Infectious bacterial diseases and where to find them

INSTAGRAM | ETSY | PINTEREST | BLOG

12.3.17

When your teacher said they’re going to post a study guide but they don’t qq

Music mood: Rubber Human - Mili

Sooo I’m studying microbiology 2:28 am because I’m a desperate bitch Microbiology + immunology = total final grade I got a 10 in my immunology test so I’m PRAYING for a 10 in microbiology so I can get a bIG BeauTiFul 10 on my final

Normal Flora

Blood, Spinal Fluid, Urine: sterile

Cutaneous surfaces (urethra, outer ear included): Staph epidermidis, Staph aureus, Corynobacteria (dyphteroids),Streptocci, Candida spp

Nose: Staph aureus, Staph epidermidis, dyphteroids, assorted streptococci

Gingival crevices: anaerobes = Bacterioides/Prevotella, Fusobacterium, Streotococci, Actinomyces

Oropharynx: Viridans group (alpha hemolytic strep), Neisseria (non pathogenic), H. influenzae (non typeable, meaning, w/o capsule), Candida albicans

Stomach: none

Breast-fed babies colon: microaerophilic/anaerobic = Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, streptococci.

Adult Colon: microaerophilic/anaerobic = Bacteroides/Prevotella, E.coli, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, Gram- anaerobic rods, Lactobacillus, E.faecalis, streptococci

Vagina: Lactobacillus, streptococci, diphteroids, yeasts, Veillonella, Gram- rods

ETC shortcuts

FADH2 goes to complex II since 2 hydrogens

RotenONE inhibits complex ONE

AntImIcIn A, 3 III’s ==> Antimycin A inhibits complex 3

Cyan COlored Complex IV ==> Cyanide and CO inhibit complex IV

24 brown fatty aspirins break up ==> 2,4 dnp, aspirin and brown fat are etc uncouplers 

April Background

I created this new background for April! A reminder to all the great girls out there who are awesome human beings!

For a high quality foto, check out the link in my previous post!

DNA viruses Mnemonic

NOT MINE!!!! This brilliant mnemonic was created by the youtuber 100lyric. Here are the videos explaining this super useful visual aid:

“Easy ways to remember DNA viruses”

“Easy ways to remember DNA viruses part 2”

I just recreated the drawing she made and added a couple of things, to remember detaiIs better. 

All DNA viruses are ds except Parvovirus = the viruses that have 2 lines, are double stranded. 

All DNA viruses are linear except Polyomavirus, Papilomavirus, Hepadnavirus= Not drawn with straight lines (Polyoma, Papiloma: circular; Hepadna: semicircular)

All DNA viruses are icosahedral except Poxvirus= that’s why is in a different color (green). This virus is a complex, diamond shape virus.

All DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus except Poxvirus = that’s why I drew something inside the diamond shape virus, to represent the DNA-dependant RNA polymerase.

Like I said, this is NOT MY MNEMONIC! But it helped me a lot, and now it’s so easy for me to remember this viruses! Please, go subscribe to her channel, is amazing!!!! 100lyric

And If you need a mnemonic to remember RNA viruses, click here and here.

Hope this helps!