Amanda Smith, Ed.M.
Union City High School, Union City, NJ
AAI Summer Research Program for Teachers
Introduction to the
Immune System

Lesson 1
Do Now

 Think back to the Online Stem Cell Lab, health class,
and past science classes.
 How many different cell types can you name that are
related to the immune system?
 List them with their corresponding functions in your
notebook.
Innate vs. Adaptive
Immunity

Innate
 Immediate, rapid
response
 Generalized response,
nonspecific
 No “memory”
Adaptive
 Slow response (a few
days)
 Specific response to
molecules that caused it
 Repeated exposure to
molecules will cause
increased responses
Response Question 1

 You get the flu vaccine. A few weeks later, your
sibling gets the flu and exposes you to the virus.
Which part of your immune system will be prepared
to fight off the flu virus?
A. Innate Immune System
B. Adaptive Immune System
Hematopoietic Stem Cells

 Found in bone marrow
 Give rise to blood and immune cells
 Form two lineages: myeloid and lymphoid
Myeloid Lineage
 Gives rise to eight types of
cells found in body tissues,
focusing on three
1. Mast Cells
 Degranulate hormonal mediators when activated, involved with
inflammation
 Activated by IgE antibodies, physical/chemical injury, or
complement proteins
 Morphology: typical round cellular shape
 Defining Organelles: secretory granules and lipid bodies
 A Visual Interpretation
Image at: http://www.mastcellaware.com/about.html
2.
Myeloid Lineage

Macrophages
 Matured monocytes that migrate into tissues from the
circulatory system
 Role is to phagocytize dead cells and pathogens
 Produce NO, O2-, and H2O2 to break down material.
 Specific names for specific locations, ex: Kupffer cells in liver
 Morphology: monocyte is a spherical shape, but macrophage
shape depends on what tissue it goes and matures.
 Defining Organelles: extensive Rough ER,
lysosomes/phagosomes, pseudopods
3.
Myeloid Lineage

Dendritic Cells
 Main role is to process antigen material and present it to other
cells on its surface.
 AKA antigen presenting cell
 Morphology: form branch like projections (dendrites) during
stage of development
 Defining Organelles: Golgi, ER,
(proteasome – protein complex that degrades proteins)
Image at: https://www.boundless.com/microbiology/immunology--2/antigen-presenting-cells/dendritic-cells/
Response Question 2

 A cut on your arm went untreated, and now, it is
infected by bacteria. Which of the myeloid lineage
cells are involved with fighting off the infection?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Mast Cells
Macrophages
Dendritic Cells
A&B
A, B & C
Lymphoid Lineage

 Gives rise to three major types of cells
1. Natural Killer Cells (NK)
 Role: limits the spread of tumors and microbial infections
by inducing apoptosis in cells, limiting tissue damage
 Morphology: large granular lymphocyte, spherical
 Defining Organelles: cytoplasmic lytic granules, secretory
lysosomes, golgi, vesicles, microtubules
Image at: http://imagebank.hematology.org/AssetDetail.aspx?AssetID=4105&AssetType=Asset
2.
Lymphoid Lineage

B Cells
 Role: produce antibodies, become antigen-presenting
cells, become memory B cells
 Memory B cells “remember” specific antigens and can
launch fast immune response if antigen is encountered
again.
 Live for about 10 years.
 Morphology: spherical, with very large nucleus and
scant cytoplasm around it, has B-cell receptor on cell
surface
 Defining Organelles: large ER and Golgi, lysosomes
Image at: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lymphocyte2.jpg
Lymphoid Lineage

3. T Cells
 Several types including T Helper and cytotoxic T cells
 Role: secrete cytokines after activation by APC to help
aid active immune responses, and destroy virally
infected and tumor cells by binding to antigens on their
surface, respectively
 Morphology: Spherical with T-cell receptor on cell
surface, covered with short microvilli
 Defining Organelles: ER, Golgi
Image at: http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/2008/03/30/whats-in-a-name-are-cytotoxic-t-lymphocytes-cytotoxic/
Response Question 3

 What type of cell is also derived from hematopoietic
stem cells that we have not gone over?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Chondroblasts (cartilage cells)
Erythrocytes (red blood cells)
Endothelium (cells that line blood vessels)
Hepatocytes (liver cells)
Interactions between cells

 Dendritic Cells present antigen to activate immature
T cells to become CD4 or CD8 cells.
 TH2 cells and costimulatory molecules released by
TH1 cells activate B cells to produce antibodies.
Discussion

 What are the two major lineages that arise from
hematopoietic stem cells?
 What types of cells can naïve T cells differentiate
into?
 What is the relationship between dendritic cells and
naïve T cells?
 How are T cells related to B cells?
 What is the difference between an antigen and an
antibody?
Review Activity

 Graphic Organizer
 Show the major lineages and what cells are formed.
 Connect lineages with lines and descriptor words.
 Start with hematopoietic stem cells.
TEACHER USE ONLY!
View diagram showing all cell types derived from hematopoietic stem cells at
http://www.allthingsstemcell.com/category/hematopoietic-stem-cells/
Have students make their own/use worksheet.
Nitric Oxide,
Inflammation, and the
Immune Response

Lesson 2
Do Now

 What do you think are some possible effects of the
immune system over-responding (responding too
much)?
 Would the effects be positive, negative, or neutral?
Explain your reasoning.
Inflammation

 Part of the immune response to pathogens
 Caused by vasodilation for the movement of plasma
and immune cells into the injured tissues.
 Can be acute or chronic.
 Chronic inflammation occurs if the stimulus for the
inflammation persists.
 Mediated by macrophages and released chemicals such
as IL-1 and TNF-alpha
Nitric Oxide & Inflammation

 Nitric Oxide (NO) is released by macrophages to
destroy the source of inflammation.
 NO is produced by the protein inducible nitric oxide
synthase (iNOS).
 iNOS is formed in after injury and inflammatory
mediators are released.
 An increase in NO production can lead to tissue
injury.
 Occurs when there’s an increase in inflammatory
cytokines being released
Chronic Asthma

 Can be caused by allergies, environmental
pollutants, microbial infections, or genetics
 NO normally helps to regulate airway vascular tone
and pulmonary surface tension.
 Over expression disrupts innate lung defenses that
modulate lung inflammation, leading to chronic
inflammation.
Article Review

 Read over questions for article.
 Read “The Inflammatory Response in the
Pathogenesis of Asthma.”
 Highlight important information to help you answer
questions as you read.
 Complete related worksheet & Inflammatory
Response Flow Chart.
Intro to Aseptic
Technique & Lab
Procedures

Lesson 3
Do now

 What does it mean when somebody is septic or goes
into septic shock?
 What does Aseptic mean?
 How can you practice being aseptic in a lab setting?
List as many possible ways as you can.
Aseptic Technique

 Origin: septikos – rotten; a – without
 Purpose: to keep the sterile cell culture free of
microorganisms from the environment
 Four basic ways to achieve this
1. Sterile work area
2. Good personal hygiene
3. Sterile reagents & media
4. Sterile handling
1. Sterile Work Area

 Use a cell culture hood.
 Maintain a clear work surface.
 Disinfect work surface before and after use with 70%
ethanol.
Image at: http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/References/gibco-cell-culture-basics/cell-culture-equipment/laminar-flow-hood.html
2. Good personal hygiene

 Wash your hands before and after working with cell
cultures.
 Tie your hair back.
 Wear personal protective equipment.
 Gloves
 Lab coat
Image at: http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/labsafetymanual/sec6c.htm
3. Sterile Reagents & Media

 Commercial materials (bought from a company) are
already sterilized.
 Materials prepared in the lab should be prepared
with sterile instruments using aseptic technique.
4. Sterile Handling

 Wipe outside of containers with 70% ethanol .
 Use sterile glass or disposable plastic materials.
 Do not cross contaminate.
 Do not unwrap materials until the moment you are going
to use them.
 Cap or seal with tape bottles, well plates, etc. to prevent
contamination.
 Perform experiments rapidly (but safely!) to minimize
exposure to contamination.
Video
http://media.invitrogen.com.edgesuite.net/CellCulture/videos/SterileTechnique.html?CID=ccbvid2
The Micropipette

 Used to measure small volumes accurately
 Uses disposable tips to prevent cross contamination
 Can be set at a fixed volume or variable – you specify
within a range
Image at: http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/moncef/Pages/OperatingtheMicropipette.aspx
Setting the Volume

 Turn the volumeter adjustment on top.
 Stay within the micropipette’s range.
 Decimal appears only for smaller range pipettes –
make sure to turn the adjustment to the correct
volume.
Image at: http://www.medicine.mcgill.ca/physio/vlab/bloodlab/eryfrag2_n.htm
Table image at: http://www.scienceteacherprogram.org/biology/JBodenmiller10.html
Drawing liquid
1. Push pipette plunger down to FIRST stop while OUT of
liquid.
2. Place tip into liquid, release plunger to draw liquid up.
3. Push back down on plunger to first stop to release liquid.
4. Push plunger further to second stop to expel any
remaining liquid from tip.
5. Release plunger to go back to starting position.
Image at: http://www.karantinapertaniansby.com/en/?hal=detil_artikel&id=2
Practice!

 Learn how to use a micropipette to make a serial
dilution.
 Virtual Lab Activity
Hemocytometer

 Originally used to count blood cells, now used for
various cell types.
 Cells first stained with trypan blue to determine
viable from non-viable cells.
 Used to calculate amount of cells in a solution from a
10 microliter sample.
Image at: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sigma/z359629?lang=en&region=US
Practice!

 Hemocytometer virtual lab