Immunology
The aim of the course is to provide students with a deep knowledge about the structure and functions of immune organs, immune cells and molecules involved in the immune response. The lectures are intended to describe specific features of innate and adaptive immunity, effector mechanisms of cellular and humoral immunity, examples of innate and induced, passive and active immunity, as well as a vaccination phenomenon. The students will study structure and functions of immunoglobulins of various classes and subclasses, discover molecular mechanisms underlying generation of the diversity of antigen-recognizing molecules like antibodies and T cell receptors. The students will also obtain theoretical and practical knowledge about the main up to date immunological methods, immunobiological products and their markets; familiarize themselves with the history and most important discoveries in the field of immunology.
Immunology as a science about immunity. General terms of immunology. Primary and secondary lymphoid organs. Mechanisms of non-self recognition. Main theories of up to date immunology. Establishment of fundamental and applied immunological trends.
Non-specific resistance and the ways to ensure it. Humoral means of innate immunity, cytokines. Pattern recognition receptors, their role in defense and pathology. Inflammatory reaction, its types, development, physiological regulation and biological significance.
The origin of immune organs and cells. Primary and secondary lymphoid organs: structure and functions. Diffuse lymphoid tissue, MALT and SALT.
Effector cells of innate immunity and mechanisms of their functioning. Lymphopoiesis. B lymphocytes, their subpopulations, localization and recirculation. Plasma and memory cells. B cell receptor and antigen recognition by B lymphocytes. T cell receptor and antigen recognition by T lymphocytes. The role of thymus microenvironment for T lymphocyte development, positive and negative selection. Subpopulations of T lymphocytes, mechanisms of target recognition and cytolytic activity.
Antigen transportation to lymph nodes. Dendritic cells, lymphocyte recruiting, their post-activation maturation, effector and memory cells formation. Effector mechanisms of specific immune reactions: opsonization, phagocytosis enhancement, cytolysis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
Antigens: classification, structure and main definitions. Antigenic determinant and epitope. Т and В epitopes. Conformational and linear B epitopes. General ideas about exciter antigens.
Antigen processing and presentation, biological role of main histocompatibility complex for adaptive cellular immune reaction development. Presentation of endogenous and exogenous antigens to CD4+ and CD8+Т cells.
Structure, synthesis and isotypic diversity of immunoglobulins. Antigen-antibody interaction. Immune complex. Antibody functions in the organism: antigen neutralization, precipitation, agglutination. Effector antibody functions: antibody-dependent cellular and humoral immune reactions.
Initial theories of the antibody diversity. Genetic mechanisms of the antibody and T cell receptor diversity formation. Somatic hypermutagenesis. Alternative splicing. The antibody isotype switch. Development and differentiation of B and T lymphocytes, formation of their receptors.
General characteristics of immunological methods. The ways to evaluate the immune reactivity of the organism. Immunochemical analysis: areas of application. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, their use for diagnostics and therapy.
