Slide 1:
Self & non self: Self refers to materials made by the body and non-self refers to all foreign
materials. If a foreign material is detected, the immune response is activated. This can be done in
two different ways, which are called:
Slide 2:
Non Specific Immunity:
Refers to chemical and physical barriers, present before contact with a specific micro-organism. Has
no memory.
Specific immunity is an acquired or adaptive immunity, involving the production of
specialised cells and chemical substances called antibodies. Specific immunity has a
memory, so if another infection by the same organism were to occur, it would produce a
heightened immune response. It also reacts in a special or specific way to each different
micro-organism. Vaccines are an example of specific immunity.
Slide 3:
As the focus of our presentation will be on specific immunity, it is important to note that
specific immunity can further be broken down into Active and passive Immunity.
Passive immunity is where antibodies produced in one person that are introduced into
another react with antigens to provide immunity. Passive immunity can be acquired
naturally or induced.
Natural passive immunity is where a developing foetus receives antibodies from its mother
across the placenta.
Induced passive immunity is where antibodies or immunoglobins are taken from the blood
plasma of another person and injected. An example of this is Monoclonal antibodies.
Slide 4:
Monoclonal Antibodies are a type of protein made in the laboratory that can bind to
substances in the body, including tumour cells. There are many kinds of monoclonal
antibodies. Each monoclonal antibody is made to find one substance. Monoclonal
antibodies are being used to treat some types of cancer and are being studied in the
treatment of other types. They can be used alone or to carry drugs, toxins, or radioactive
materials directly to a tumour.
How do they Work? Monoclonal antibodies are designed to recognise and find specific
proteins on cancer cells. Each monoclonal antibody recognises one particular protein.
Different types of cancer have different proteins. So different antibodies have to be made to
target different types of cancer.
Many different monoclonal antibodies are already available to treat cancer. Some are
licensed to treat particular types of cancer. Some newer types are still in clinical trials.
Different monoclonal antibodies cause different side effects.
Slide 5:
Active immunity is where antibodies are produced within a person, as a response to
exposure to a specific antigen. It can also be acquired Naturally or induced.
Naturally is where the body comes into contact with a micro-organism and an immune
response is triggered after a few days causing antibodies to form. As the number of
antibodies increases, the micro-organism is destroyed and recovery begins. If there are
enough antibodies to destroy the micro-organism, complete recovery is made.
Induced immunity is where vaccines are used activate the immune response against
disease.
Slide 6:
Slide 7 & 8:
So what is a vaccine??
Vaccinations protect you from specific diseases that can make you very sick, disable or even
kill you. They boost your body's own defence system, which is also called the immune
system.
Vaccines create immunity that protects you from an infection without causing the suffering
of the disease itself. Sometimes vaccines are called immunizations, needles or shots.
Here's how vaccines work:
 Most vaccines contain a little bit of a disease germ that is weak or dead.
This makes the body's defence system build antibodies to fight off this germ.
 Antibodies remember how to fight off the germ. If the real germ that causes this
disease (not the vaccine) enters your body in the future, your defence system knows
how to fight it off. (Due to formation of memory cells)
 Often, your defence system will remember how to fight a germ for the rest of your
life. Sometimes, your defence system needs a booster shot.
Slide 8:
Sometimes vaccines prevent one disease. Sometimes they are combined to protect you
from several diseases with one shot. For example, the MMR vaccine fights Measles, Mumps
and Rubella (German measles).
Slide 9:
How they relate to Specific, Non-specific & self and Non self:
Vaccines are categorised as non self, as they are foreign to the body and act on the non-self,
the micro-organism, as well as the self – the antibodies produced as a result of their
presence.
They are specific as one particular vaccine acts on one type of micro-organism.