Study Guide Power Point
The following power point is split into the these
topics:
• Endocrine/Nervous System
• Immune System
• Breakdown in immune system
Nervous System - Endocrine
System - Hormones
Sending Signals
• What are the primary
agents that the brain
or a gland uses to
communicate with
other cells?
• Hormones
• Neurotransmitters
(Nerve chemicals)
Terminology
• Secrete (verb): to produce and then release a substance
• Gland (noun): a cell or organ in the body that synthesizes a substance and
then releases it for use by our body
• In order for your body to cool off, the sweat glands secrete water.
• Target cell (noun): any cell that contains receptor molecules to bind
hormones
• Receptor molecule (noun): molecules, proteins, found on the outside of
the cell that receive chemical signals (hormones) from other cells
Hormone and Receptor molecule must
fit in order to work
Gland
Receptor
molecule
Hormone
Hormones
• Signals released by
glands so cells can
communicate
• Hormone has to fit
on receptor
molecule of the
target cell
Failure of hormone to work
means either the
1. Receptor
molecule is
the wrong
shape
2. The hormone
is the wrong
shape
1. The diagram below shows a biological process.
Explain why the hormones attach to the target cell
and not to other cells in the diagram
The target cell has the receptor
molecule with the specific shape that
the hormone will fit
Hormone and receptor molecules
• Remember that
these molecules
are proteins.
• An improper
shape means a
incorrect Amino
Acid sequence
Amino Acids
Immune System
Ms. Blalock, Ms. Hartsell, Mr. Luckman
Immune System
● When first exposed to disease, organisms make specific antibodies to mark
the foreign invaders so the white blood cells know what to destroy.
● If exposed to the same pathogen again, the immune system has a memory
and can quickly make similar antibodies that will match the SAME antigens
as the sickness from the previous time.
● REMEMBER: since Antigens and Antibodies are proteins that specific shape
that match. SHAPE DETERMINES FUNCTION
Illness and Germs
Pathogens is the term that
refers to all germs and
microbes that can cause
illness in an organism?
Bacteria
● Bacteria are single-celled
organisms.
● They are alive because
they can carry out the
characteristics of life
without needing the help
for another organism
Activity # 2 – Specific Immune
Response
• What does “specific” mean anyways?
– “Specific” is someone or something that is
specially suited for a purpose or need.
– An example of “specific” is someone saying
exactly which jacket they want someone to grab
for them.
Activity # 2 – Specific Immune
Response
• A specific immune response involves…
– Antigens
antibodies
and
• In daily life we might speak of viruses,
bacteria, and toxins. However, when reading
about the immune system you’ll often come
across the words antigen and pathogen.
• An antigen is a foreign substance that triggers
a reaction from the immune system. Antigens
are often found on the surfaces of bacteria
and viruses.
• A pathogen is a microscopic organism that
causes sickness. Hostile bacteria and viruses
are examples of pathogens.
• Some white blood cells make a specific protein, called
an antibody, that will respond to an antigen.
Antibodies are released from the white blood cells so
that they can seek out intruders and help destroy
them. White blood cells produce antibodies at an
amazing rate and can release tens of thousands of
antibodies per second.
• When the Y-shaped antibody finds a matching antigen,
it attaches to it. The attached antibodies serve as an
appetizing coating for eater cells such as the
macrophage (a white blood cell that eats pathogens).
• Antibodies also neutralize toxins and viruses,
preventing them from infecting new cells. Each
branch of the Y-shaped antibody can bind to a
specific antigen, so while one branch binds to an
antigen on one pathogen cell, the other branch could
bind to another cell - in this way pathogens are
gathered into larger groups that are easier for
macrophages to eat.
Characteristics of Life
● Repair injury
● Reproduce
● Communicate
● Digestion/Excretion
Viruses
● Viruses are non-cellular (not a
cell)
● They are dead because they
cannot performs] the
characteristics of life without
having a host.
● The infects to cause illness and
death.
Cures and Treatment
● Diseases caused by a bacteria can be cured because the bacteria can be
killed.
● Doctors inject a person with antibiotics to kill the bacteria
● Viruses cannot be killed because they are NOT alive so there is NO cured for
them
● Vaccines can PREVENT viruses from infecting organisms
Bacterial infections
• How are bacterial
infections treated
or cured?
• They are treated
with antibiotics
prescribed by a
Doctor
Vaccines
Vaccinations use dead or weakened microbes (virus) to stimulate the
first production of antibodies
They are not as strong as the disease so the person does not get sick
Helps organisms build a memory of antibodies.
Vaccine Process
● A dead or weaken virus is injected into an organism
● The immune systems recognizes the virus and synthesizes antibodies
● The immune system makes a memory of the virus so when the real virus
(not a dead or weak one) comes it can use the antibodies to stop it
immediately.
Breakdown in Immune System
Organ transplant
When an organ is
replaced with an organ
from another person.
The organ can
sometimes be seen as a
“foreign invader” from
the immune system
Cell surface proteins
Transplanted organs
have different or foreign
antigens on their cells.
This is similar to how the
immune system sees a
virus or bacteria cell
Different cell proteins
Donor cell proteins
Receiver’s cell proteins
These cells are not a match for an organ
transplant
Organ transplant rejection
• Organ transplant will reject if proteins
do not match
• Immune system will trigger white
blood cells to attack the transplanted
organ
Immunosuppressants
Immuno - immune system
suppressants - lower
Immunosuppressants are drugs that
lower the immune systems response to
transplanted organs.
Activity # 2 – Specific Immune
Response
• What does “specific” mean anyways?
– “Specific” is someone or something that is
specially suited for a purpose or need.
– An example of “specific” is someone saying
exactly which jacket they want someone to grab
for them.
Activity # 2 – Specific Immune
Response
• A specific immune response involves…
– Antigens
antibodies
and
• In daily life we might speak of viruses,
bacteria, and toxins. However, when reading
about the immune system you’ll often come
across the words antigen and pathogen.
• An antigen is a foreign substance that triggers
a reaction from the immune system. Antigens
are often found on the surfaces of bacteria
and viruses.
• A pathogen is a microscopic organism that
causes sickness. Hostile bacteria and viruses
are examples of pathogens.
• Some white blood cells make a specific protein, called
an antibody, that will respond to an antigen.
Antibodies are released from the white blood cells so
that they can seek out intruders and help destroy
them. White blood cells produce antibodies at an
amazing rate and can release tens of thousands of
antibodies per second.
• When the Y-shaped antibody finds a matching antigen,
it attaches to it. The attached antibodies serve as an
appetizing coating for eater cells such as the
macrophage (a white blood cell that eats pathogens).
• Antibodies also neutralize toxins and viruses,
preventing them from infecting new cells. Each
branch of the Y-shaped antibody can bind to a
specific antigen, so while one branch binds to an
antigen on one pathogen cell, the other branch could
bind to another cell - in this way pathogens are
gathered into larger groups that are easier for
macrophages to eat.