Lesson 11.3 Cells of the immune system

Learning Activity 1

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. In chapter 8 you learned about blood and, particularly, about red blood cells. Compare and contrast red and white blood cells (think in terms of function and structure!).
2. How can you tell the difference between a red blood cell and a white blood cell on a blood smear microscope slide?
3. What are the two types of white blood cells?

Learning Activity 2

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. Compare and contrast neutrophils and macrophages.
2. What is the function of the neutrophil? Why do you think 66% of white blood cells are neutrophils?
3. Why is it important to have macrophages in organs such as the lungs, liver, spleen, kidney and lymph nodes?
4. What is the function of the spleen?
5. Draw a flowchart explaining the action of neutrophils when pathogens invade the body. Include in your flowchart an explanation of what phagocytosis is and how it works.
6. If histamine attracts neutrophils, what do you think an "anti-histamine" tablet does? Why is this necessary?
7. Answer Question 11.2 on p.225.

Learning Activity 3

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. Compare and contrast B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. (Where are they produced? When are they produced? Where do they mature? What is their site of action?)
2. Answer Questions 11.3-11.4 on p.226.

Learning Activity 4

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. You read in the previous section that lymphocytes "have a large nucleus that fills most of the cell". Looking at the mode of action of B-lymphocytes, why is it important for B-lymphocytes to have a large nucleus?
2. Plasma cells produce antibody molecules quickly but after a few weeks the plasma cells due out and the antibody molecules don't outlast them by very long. Can you think why it is not important for plasma cells and the antibody molecules to remain in the bloodstream for more than a few weeks?
3. Why is it important that memory cells remain in the body for a long time?
4. Explain why the secondary response is faster than the primary response. How does this relate to why a person is unlikely to catch a disease such as measles or chicken pox more than once?
5. Answer Questions 11.5-11.7 on p.228.

Learning Activity 5

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. Draw an antibody molecule. Label the following:
   
   1. Heavy polypeptide chian
   2. Light polypeptide chain
   3. Disulfide bonds
   4. Variable region
   5. Hinge region
2. List and describe the different modes of action of antibodies shown in Fig. 11.11 on p.229. Know these well.
3. Answer Questions 11.8-11.10 on p.229.

Learning Activity 6

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. Answer Question 11.11 on p.231 of your text book.
2. Outline the immune response, starting from when a macrophage in the spleen recognizes a pathogen. Use the following words in your response:
   1. Macrophages
   2. B-lymphocytes
   3. Mitosis
   4. Antigens
   5. Antibodies
   6. Plasma cells
   7. Memory cells
   8. T-helper cells
   9. T-killer cells

Learning Activity 7

Answer the following questions in your exercise book.

1. Describe the role of platelets.
2. Study Table 11.1 on p.231 and answer the following questions:
   1. What cellular component constitutes the highest percentage of cellular components in blood?
   2. Which cellular component constitutes the least percentage of cellular components in blood?
   3. Of the white blood cells, which one is the most numerous normally?
3. If a person has a bacterial infection, which white blood count increases?
4. If a person has a viral infection, which white blood count increases?
5. Which blood cell count is used to determine if a person is HIV+?
6. Answer Question 11.12 on p.231.
7. What causes leukaemia?

Mindmap

Add this section to your chapter eleven mindmap.