40-3 Immune System Disorders

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A. Allergies

• 1. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to antigens.

A. Allergies

• 2. Mast Cells respond to antigens by releasing histamine.

A. Allergies

• 3. Histamines increase blood flow to that area and mucus production in the respiratory system which causes sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose.

A. Allergies

• 4. Antihistamines are drugs taken to decrease histamines.

B. Asthma

• 1. Asthma is chronic respiratory disease that causes air passages to narrow (makes it difficult to breathe).

B. Asthma

• 2. Asthma attacks can be triggered by infections, exercise, emotional distress, etc.

C. Autoimmune Diseases• 1. When the immune system makes a mistake

and attacks the body's own cells, it produces an autoimmune disease.

C. Autoimmune Diseases

• 2. Examples include: Type I Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease)

• 1. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) destroys helper T cells.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease)

• 2. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carries its genetic information in RNA.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease)

• 3. HIV enters a cell and inserts its genetic information so that the cell now produces viral RNA and proteins.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease)

• 4. The fewer helper T cells, the more advanced the disease.