Micro Exam 3: Specific Immunity – Flashcards

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What are the 2 components of specific immunity? 
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  1. chemical: humoral immune response using antibodies
  2. cell mediated: cells directed by immune response to attack invader
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What are is the term used for molecules that stimulate and immune response? 
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antigens
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what are haptens?
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substances which are too small by themselves to elicit an immune response but may when bound to larger molecules
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what is an epitope? 
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molecular structure on an antigen that an antibody interacts with. one antigen may have many. 
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True or false: some antigens can only be recognized after having been processed by T cells. 
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True
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What are antibodies?
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AKA immunoglobulins

they are proteins produced by the body to bind to antigens

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Describe the structure of an antibody
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  • Y shaped
  • 2 variable (light chain) regions that bind to antigens
  • 1 constant "Fc" (dark chain) region that binds to host
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Where might antigens be? 
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on the surface of organisms, substances in serum (toxins or visuses) 
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can antibodies always neutralize toxins and viruses? 
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no; may or may not be able to
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Approximately how many different antibody specificities are there for antigens? 
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106-108
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What are the three ways that antibodies participate in host defenses? 
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  1. Neutralization
  2. Opsonization
  3. Complement Activation
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Which antibodies are in charge of neutralization? 
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IgG, IgM and IgA are able to bind and prevent them from reaching target receptors
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How does opsonization occur?
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antibodies or complement (C3b) coat an antigen which signals it as foreign to phagocytes who then ingest and destroy them
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complement activation is via which pathway in specific immunity? what does it occur after? 
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classical pathway; occurs after antigen-antibody binding
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what does activation of the classical pathway require? 
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  • 2 molecules of bound IgG
  • 1 molecule of IgM
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Why is only one molecule of IgM needed to activate the classical pathway? 
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because of its pentameric structure
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Define polyclonal response. 
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a mixture of antibodies of a class produced to different epitopes of the antigen
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what is monoclonal antibodies?
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preparation of pure antibodies of single type all directed at same epitope

- normally produced artificially; not normal response but in malignancy of B cells

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Is polyclonal response or monoclonal antibodies a more normal response? Are both naturally occuring?
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polyclonal is normal response

monoclonal is artificial unless B cell malignancy

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what is the term used to describe the strength of binding between an antibody and an antigen? 
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affinity
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Does affinity of an antibody and antigen ever change? 
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often increases with second or more exposures to antigen
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What are the different classes of antibodies? Which are less plentiful? 
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IgM, IgG, IgA

IgE, IgD = less plentiful

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What are the heavy chain structures of IgG, IgA, IgE, IgD, IgM?
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  • IgG = y (gamma)
  • IgA = a (alpha)
  • IgE = looks like e
  • IgD = looks like d
  • IgM = u (m-like)

attach by disulfide bond to joining chain

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What is the first antibody produced in response to a first infection? 
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IgM
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What antibody occurs as a 5 units attached; how does this affect is movement? 
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IgM; does not get into tissue from blood or cross placenta (large molecule)
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Does complement bind well to IgM?
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Yes!
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What is the most plentiful immunoglobulin? 
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IgG
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What is produced after IgM in an infection? What is this process called and what does it do? 
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IgG; called "class switching"

- IgG antibody produced by cell has same specificity for antigen as IgM it replaces

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When is IgG predominantly produced? What is this response called?
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when exposure to agent occurs in second infection; called a boosting response
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What controls IgG production? 
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T cells
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What does IgG do in terms of complement; can it penetrate tissues? 
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binds to complement (fixes complement), attracts phagocytes, and opsonizes well

- penetrates tissue and crosses placenta

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Secondary response to an immunogenic stimulas has...
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  • higher antibody levels
  • increase dproportion of IgG to other immunoglobulin isotypes
  • shorter lag period
  • higher affinity for antigen
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What is an anamnestic response? What cells are involved? How is the affinity increased?
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Secondary response; affinity maturation 10 to 100 fold increase

IgG memory cells

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In what forms does IgA occur? 

What form is secretory IgA? Where is it found?

What controls the production of IgA?

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  • occurs as single or paired molecules
  • secretory IgA = paired; 
  • found in secretions (saliva, tears, respiratory secretions, colostrum)
  • IgA production controlled by T cells
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Which immunoglobulins activities are antiparasitic? What other activities does this immunoglobulin have?
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IgE; also involved in hypersensitivity reactions
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Where is IgD found?
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as a receptor on B cell surface antigens
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What are the 3 groups of blood stem cells in bone marrow?
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  1. erythroid stem cell
  2. myeloid stem cell
  3. lymphoid stem cell
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What are the cells produced by myeloid stem cells? Which are involved in phagocytosis, inflammation and clotting (an inflammation)? 
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  • platelets (clotting and inflammation)
  • basophils (inflammation)
  • neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes (phagocytosis)
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List the types of leukocytes.
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  • basophil
  • neutrophil
  • eosinophil
  • monocyte
  • lymphocyte
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What are the most common WBC? What do they do? How long do they live?
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Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils; PMN) ;

white blood cells able to phagocytose invaders

short lived

circulate in blood and enter tissue (gather at site of infection) = pus

 

 

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Pus is largely made up of what cells?
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WBC's;

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs)

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Which white blood cells are anti-parasitic?

How did they get their name?

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eosinophils; contain granules that stain red with dye eosin (may also increase in hypersensitivity states - ex. asthma)
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What cells are involved in hypersensitivity reactions?
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basophils (and maybe eosinophils)
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What are monocytes?
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WBC that circulate until stimulated to differentiate to macrophages or on of family of phagocytes (dendritic cells) found in various organs in body
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Compare Macrophages and PMN's
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macrophages are larger and longer lived (found in tissues)
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what are macrophages able to do? 
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  • phagocytose invaders
  • present the antigens to T lymphs for development of specific immunity
  • "call for help" by secreting cytokines
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What are dendritic cells descended from?
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monocytes or lymphocyte cell lines (like octopuses)
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Where are dendritic cells distributed (what form?)? What are they good at doing? What do the immature and mature do?
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  • widely distributed in tissue in immature form
  • good at presenting antigen to T lymphocytes
  • immature form = phagocytoses antigen; becomes mature
  • mature = stops phagocytosis and goes to lymph node to deliver antigen to T cells
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What do B cells differentiate into? Where does this occur?
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differentiate to plasma cells or memory cells in bone marrow of mammals
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What do plasma cells come from and what are they? 
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come from B cell differentiation in bone marrow

they are antibody factories

 

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What do memory cells do?
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circulate and are primed to produce a specific antibody if they come in contact with the apropriate antigen
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What is the secondary lymphoid organ? 
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spleen
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During development, B cells are produced that do what? What is each B cells membrane coated with? What happens when antigens binds to this? What is that process called?
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each recognize a specific antigen (so many B cells that a wide range of antigens can be recognized)

 

membrane coated with particular antibody that cell produces

When antigen binds to antibody = stimulates cell to divide and increase in number 

called "clonal expansion"

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Where do T cells develop? What do they control and how? 
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  • develop in the thymus
  • control immune response by producing cytokines
  • able to directly kill foreign tissue cells, virally infected cells or tumor cells
  • activate phagocytic cells to destroy organisms they have ingested
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Do NK cells express CD-4 or CD-8? What kind of cell are they?
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no, they are T cells
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True or false: some T cells and B lymphocytes develope into memory cells.
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true
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What do CD4 or "T Helper cells" do? What do they differentiate into? 
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activate and control immune response

 

respond to signal of cell presenting antigen by differentiating into: TH1 or TH2

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What T cells promote local response with inflammation and are good at handling intracellular pathogens (eg. viruses, mycobacteria, fungi)
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CD4 - TH1
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What T cells promote antibody production and memory cells? 
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CD-4; TH2
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Does TH1 or TH2 occur first? Which is systemic? 
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TH1 occurs first; TH2 is systemic
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What do CD8 (suppressor T cells) do? What do they differentiate into? 
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  • patrol, looking for virally infected cells or tumors
  • once detected, divide and differentiate to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (able to destroy target cells)
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What can suppress helper T cell function? What does it use? 
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CD8 cells; by using inhibitory cytokines
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What are natural killer cells?

What are they used to kill?

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large granular lymphocytes that contain granules of cytotoxic material (used to kill virally infected cells and tumor cells)
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How are NK cells distinct from CD8 T cells?
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they have Fc receptors to allow them to detect cells coated with antibody, which they then destroy
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What are the most common types of cytokines?
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interleukins; also tumor necrosis factors
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What produces cytokines? What do they do?
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produced by cells

- bring about differentiation of cells

- cause activation of phagocytic cells and lymphocytes

- influence inflammation

- influence cell mediated response and antibody response

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How are cytokines usually produced? Do they always act the same? What is an important source of cytokines?
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  • usually produced in combinations
  • act different on different cells
  • T lymphocytes are important source
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What must happen before T cells can act upon antigens? What plays an important role in this?
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  • antigens must be presented
  • Major Histocompatibility complex class I an II play big role
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What MHC is used in tissue typing to determine if transplants will be compatible (HLA typing)?
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MHC I
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What MHC is found on all cells and is essential for recognition of "self"? 
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MHC I
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What MHC is found on monocytes, macrophages, B cells, dendritic cells and phagocytic cells related to macrophages found in tissue?
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MHC II
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MHC I presents antigens to what cells? MHC II presents antigens to what cell? 
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MHC I = CD 8 

MHC II = CD 4

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Cells important to the immune system originate where? What organ systems do they form?
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originate in bone marrow and some in thymus; primary lymphoid organs
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What are the 2 primary organs of the immune system and why? 
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  1. bone marrow (produces precursor cells to all immune cells; also where B cells mature)
  2. Thymus (responsible for maturation of T lymphocytes)
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Why are B cells called B cells?
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because of the Bursa of Fabricius in birds
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What are the secondary organs of the immune system?
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major sites of interaction with antigens
- lymph nodes
- tonsilds and adenoids
- spleen
- MALT or GALT
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What organ is located within the mediastinum, superior and anterior to the heart, made up of glandular tissue and is large during infancy?
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thymus
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Lymphocytes are based in what? 
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secondary lympoid organs
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What acts as a "super" lymph node? What does it do? What is of particular importance? 
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Spleen

screens out old or infected blood cells, encapsulated bacteria and viruses

particularly important at removing encapsulated organisms

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