Examples of Innate Immune Responses: Skin, Mucus, and Inflammation

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🛡️ The innate immune system provides immediate, non-specific defense against pathogens.
• 🧱 Skin acts as a physical barrier, preventing pathogen entry. It also produces antimicrobial substances.
• 🤧 Mucus membranes line the respiratory, digestive, and urogenital tracts, trapping pathogens.
• 🧹 Cilia in the respiratory tract sweep mucus and trapped pathogens away.
• 🔥 Inflammation is a localized response to infection or injury, characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain.
• 🩸 During inflammation, blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow to the affected area.
• 🦠 Inflammatory signals, like histamine, are released by immune cells.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is the FIRST line of defense in the innate immune system?
   1. A. Antibody production
   2. B. Skin
   3. C. T-cell activation
   4. D. B-cell activation
2. What is the primary function of mucus membranes in innate immunity?
   1. A. Producing antibodies
   2. B. Trapping pathogens
   3. C. Activating T-cells
   4. D. Neutralizing toxins
3. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic sign of inflammation?
   1. A. Redness
   2. B. Swelling
   3. C. Heat
   4. D. Vasoconstriction
4. What is the role of cilia in the respiratory tract?
   1. A. Producing mucus
   2. B. Sweeping mucus and trapped pathogens away
   3. C. Activating immune cells
   4. D. Neutralizing pathogens
5. Which of the following is an example of a physical barrier in the innate immune system?
   1. A. Inflammation
   2. B. Antibody production
   3. C. Skin
   4. D. Fever
6. What happens to blood vessels during inflammation?
   1. A. They constrict
   2. B. They dilate
   3. C. They remain the same
   4. D. They are destroyed
7. Which of the following is a chemical signal released during inflammation?
   1. A. Cytokine
   2. B. Histamine
   3. C. Antibody
   4. D. Complement