Micro 5122

Immunology


Credit Hour(s): 3 Units
Instructor(s): Boyaka, Oghumu, Satoskar
Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Micro 4000 or Micro 4110
Role in Microbiology Major: Group 1 Elective

Lecture Topics:

  • Innate immunity: complement cascade, pathogen recognition, reactive oxygen and nitrogen, antimicrobial peptides, neutrophils, macrophage, and macrophage activation
  • Adaptive immunity-humoral response: B lymphocytes, antibody production and antibody diversity, and memory immunity
  • Adaptive immunity-cell mediated response: thymus, T lymphocytes, major histocompatibility complex (MHC), T cell receptors, antigen presenting cells, apoptosis, and superantigens
  • Signaling: signal transduction cascades, interleukins and interleukin receptors, chemokines and chemokine receptors, interferons and antivirals

Learning Outcomes:

Successful students will be able to...

  • Appreciate how several seminal immunological concepts were discovered. 
  • Describe the differences between innate and adaptive immune responses.
  • Explain how innate immunity recognizes and eliminates microbial pathogens.
  • Explain the multiple functions of the complement system.
  • Understand how innate immune response initiates and enhances the adaptive immune response.
  • Describe the cellular and humoral branches of adaptive immunity.
  • Describe the origin, maturation, and function of T-cells.
  • Understand antigen processing and presentation.
  • Describe the origin, maturation, and function of B-cells.
  • Understand antibody generation and the genetic basis for antibody diversity.
  • Describe different types of antibodies and their functions.
  • Explain multiple types of vaccines and how they work.
  • Understand the basis of allergic reactions.
  • Compare and contrast the different types of hypersensitivity reactions.
  • Describe the immunological concepts relevant transplantation.
  • Communicate how the innate and adaptive immune systems synergize to eliminate bacteria, viruses, or parasites.