THE IMMUNE SYSTEM,
ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, AND SOME
OTHER COMPLICATED STUFF…
by, Danielle, Natasha & Michelle
WHAT IS IT?

It protects us against billions of bacteria, viruses
and parasites, toxins, and other substances that
shouldn’t belong.
THE COMPLEMENT SYSTEM=
WHAT IT DOES
 -made
up of proteins
 -along with antigens which helps the body
recognize any foreign substances.
 -THE JOBS
 a) Trigger inflammation
 b) Attract eater cells such as macrophages
to the area
 c) Coat intruders so that eater cells are
most likely to devour them
 d) Kill intruders
PHAGOCYTES
What are they?
 -A group of immune cells that hunt down and eat bacteria,
viruses, and dead or injured body cells.
 There are three main types …
1.The Granulocytes
 The first to invade the infection and will attack anything in large
numbers by eating the invaders until they die.
2.The Macrophages
 These cells play a key part in alerting the immune system of
invaders. Slower to respond to invaders, but larger, live longer,
and have far greater capacity than the granulocytes.
3.The Dendritic Cells
 -Capable of filtering body fluids to clear them of foreign organisms
and particles.
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LYMPHOCYTES
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What are they?
-White blood cells that
originate in the bone
marrow. The lymphatic
system involves
transportation and storage
for lymphatic cells within
the body. The lymphatic
system feeds cells into the
body and filters out dead
cells and invading
organisms such as bacteria.
There are two main types
of lymphatic cells.
T CELLS
Produced in the bone marrow
 When they grow up, they move to the thymus
 They activate the B cells and killer T cells
 When the helper T cell recognizes the antigen the T
cell is activated
 Once activated the helper T cell divides and produces
proteins that activate the B and T cells.
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HOW IT WORKS!
A little better?
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN A COUPLE SENTENCES
The immune system has many interdependent cell types that all
work together to protect the body from bacterial, parasitic,
fungal, viral infections and from the growth of tumor cells.
These cell types can kill anything that is not supposed to
belong in the body. Without the Immune System, we would
always be sick.
ALLERGIES
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What is an allergic reaction?
An abnormal reaction from the body when an allergen, or
a foreign substance is detected.
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What are Allergens?
Anything can be an allergen, but it all depends on the
person.
THE TRIGGERS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION:
These are only a few examples.
There are millions of triggers, but
it depends on you.
Are you allergic to anything?
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE EXPOSED?

When the body is exposed to a trigger, a complicated set of
reactions happen
White blood cells produce an antibody specific to the Allegan.
 The antibodies detect, and then destroy whatever is in the body that
causes the reaction.

SYMPTOMS
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Skin: itching, redness, swelling, blistering, rash, hives, weeping, and
crusting
Lungs: wheezing, tightness, cough, and shortness of breath
Head: swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, and eyelids, and also
headaches
Nose: stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing
Eyes: redness, itchy, swollen, or watery
Stomach: plain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea
MEDICAL HELP?

Because allergic reactions can worsen within minutes, medical
care is always recommended for any symptoms
 Sudden, severe, or fast worsening symptoms
 exposure to an allergen that in the past cause caused a bad reaction
 swelling of the tongue, lips, or throat
 a widespread rash occurs
 chest tightness, wheezing, or trouble breathing
 confusion, vomiting, nausea
 collapse or unconsciousness
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MEDICATIONS, YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS YOU TAKE THAT
MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER…
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For allergies, there are many different types of
medications you can take, but the way a medication is
determined is by the severity of the reaction.
For long term allergies
Cetirizine(Zyrtec)
Fexofenadine(Allegra)
Loratadine(Claritin)
** These medications are found over the counter, and are
meant to be taken for months at a time, mostly once a day.
MORE OF THOSE MEDICINES
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For severe allergy symptoms:
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Epinephrine
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This is only given when extreme reactions
Is injected and acts as a bronchodilator which
dilated the breathing tubes
Increases blood pressure by constricting the blood
vessels
Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine
 Normally given through an IV for rapid reversal of
the actions from histamines.
 Oral versions are used for less severe reactions.
Corticosteroids
 Reduce swelling, along with many other symptoms
 After the IV is given, this medication must be taken
orally.
 This medication should not be mistaken for illegal
steroids
 A cream version is used for skin reactions
WHAT IS ANAPHYLAXIS?
“Against protection”
 A rapid developed and extremely serious reaction that
affects a number of different areas of the body all at once.
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SYMPTOMS OF ANAPHYLAXIS:
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Symptoms can appear from seconds, to even an hour after
exposure occurs.
Flushing of the skin(warmth and redness)
Hives
Itchiness
Rapid irregular pulse
Swelling of the tongue and throat
Runny nose
Wheezing
Difficulty breathing
Vomiting
Diarrhea
THE KITS:
Epi-Pen: An automatic syringe that allows the victim
to receive a predetermined dose of medication when it
is triggered off.
 Ana-Kit: Contains a preloaded syringe and needle
that have epinephrine in them. They are accompanied
by antihistamines, alcohol swabs, and a tourniquet.

ASTHMA
 Asthma
is a chronic lung disease that causes
episodes of difficult breathing, or the
inflammation of the airways and swelling.
TRIGGERS
 -Various
natural elements that we live with every
day can be serious triggers for asthmatics.
Sports or physical activity(anything that makes you start to
breath heavy)
 Pollen
 Indoor Allergens
 Chemical

SYMPTOMS

of an asthma attack are deep coughing, slight rough
coughing or wheezing, headaches, disturbance in sleep
pattern (or waking up with a cough having an attack)
and difficulty in talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrUe_6V
_PWY&feature=related
This is a real live clip of a girl having an asthma attack
HOW DOES THIS ALL WORK??
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Leukotrienes are fatty
molecules located in the
immune system that causes
the tightening of muscles in
the Bronchioles.
-Leukotrienes are naturally
produced eicosanoid lipid
mediators. Leukotrienes use
both autocrine signalling and
paracrine signalling to
regulate the body's response.
Leukotrienes are produced in
the body from arachidonic acid
by the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase.
Their production usually
accompanies the production of
histamine.
WAIT, WHAT WAS THAT?
Eicosanoid lipid mediator- regulate cell types
 Autocrine signaling- a cell releases a chemical or
hormonal signal to a close cell
 Paracrine signaling- a cell surrounding the
autocrine that receive the signal
 - When the autocrine cells tell the body to swell and
close airways the paracrine reacts to help them close.

ARACHODONIC ACIDA polyunsaturated fatty acid.
 this acid makes the autocrine cells and causes the
muscles to tighten.
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LIPOXYGENASE
&
CYCLOOGENASE
causes an asthmatic to have an attack.
Singulair and advair cause these symptoms to lessen.
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WHAT WILL HELP?