| A | B |
|---|
| Adenoids | Masses of lymph tissue in the nasopharynx |
| Acquired immunity | Formation of antibodies and lymphocytes after exposure to an antigen |
| Natural immunity | One's own genetic ability to fight off disease |
| Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) | Suppression or deficiency of the immune response caused by exposure to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus); HIV destroys T cell helper lymphocytes and thus affects the body's cell-mediated immune response |
| Allergen | A substance capable of causing a specific hypersensitivity in the body; a type of antigen |
| Allergy | A state of abnormal hypersensitivity acquired through exposure to a particular allergen |
| Anaphylaxis | An exaggerated or unusual hypersensitivity to foreign protein or other substance |
| Antibodies | Proteins, produced by plasma cells, that destroy antigens |
| Axillary nodes | Lymph nodes in the armpit (under arm) |
| Autoimmune diseases | Chronic disabling diseases caused by the abnormal production of antibodies to normal body tissues; symptoms include joint inflammation, skin rash, fever; examples include rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus |
| Atopy | A hypersensitive or allergic state involving an inherited predisposition - Greek word meaning "strangeness" |
| Cell-mediated Immunity | An immune response involving T-cell lymphocytes; antigens are destroyed by direct action of cells |
| Cervical Nodes | Lymph nodes in the neck region |
| B Cells | Lymphocytes that transform into plasma cells and secrete antibodies |
| Cytotoxic Cells | The killer cells that engulf foreign cells, tumor cells, and bacteria. T cells (killer cells) that directly kill foreign cells; also called T8 cells. T cells are lympocytes formed in the thymus gland; they act directly on antigens to destroy them or produce chemicals (interferons and interleukins) that are toxic to antigens |
| Hodgkin Disease | Malignant tumor of lymph tissue in the spleen or lymph nodes |
| Dendritic Cells | Antigen-presenting cells derived from monocytes |
| Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) | The virus that causes AIDS |
| Helper cells | T cells that aid B cells in recognizing antigens and stimulating antibody production; also called T4 cells |
| Humoral Immunity | Immune response in which B cells transform into plasma cells and secrete antibodies |
| Hypersensitivity | Conditions in which the body reacts with an exaggerated immune response; the immune system produces tissue damage and disordered function rather than immunity |
| Hypersplenism | A syndrome marked by enlargement of the spleen |
| Immune Response | The body's capacity to resist all types of organisms and toxins that can damage tissue and organs. Called immunity |
| Immunoglobulins | Antibodies such as IgA, IgE, IgC, IgM, and IgD that are secreted by plasma cells in humoral immunity. Proteins (antibodies produced by plasma cells) that act to protect the body by destroying antigens |
| Immunology | Study of protection (protecting the body from foreign antigens) |
| Immunosuppression | Suppression (stopping) of the immune response |
| Inguinal Nodes | Lymph nodes in the groin region (area where the legs join the trunk of the body) |
| Immunoelectrophoresis | A test that separates human immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG, IgE, IgA, IgD). It detects the presence of abnormal levels of antibodies in patients with conditions such as multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom marcoglobulinemia |
| Interferons | Antiviral proteins secreted by T cells; they also stimulate macrophages to ingest bacteria |
| Interleukins | Proteins that stimulate the growth of T cell lymphocytes and activate immune responses |
| Interstitial Fluid | Fluid in the spaces between cells; this fluid becomes lymph when it enters the lymph capillaries |
| Kaposi's Sarcoma | A malignant condition associated with AIDS, arises from lining of capillaries and appears as bluish-red skin nodules |
| Lymph | Fluid found within lymphatic vessels and collected from tissues throughout the body |
| Lymphadenitis | Inflammation of lymph glands (nodes) |
| Lymphadenopathy | Disease of lymph glands (nodes) |
| Lymphangiogram | Record (x-ray) of lymph vessels |
| Lymph Capillaries | Tiniest lymphatic vessels |
| Lymphedema | Swelling of tissue due to accumulation of lymph fluid in intercellular spaces |
| Lymph Nodes | Stationary lymph tissue along lymph vessels |
| Lymphocyte | Any of the mononuclear, nonphagocytic leukocytes, found in the blood, lymph, and lymphoid tissues, which comprise the body's immunologically competent cells and their precursors. They are divided on the basis of ontogeny (the complete developmental history of an individual organism) and function into two classes, B and T lymphocytes, responsible for humoral (fluid) and cellular immunity, respectively. |
| Lymphocytosis | Abnormal condition of increase in lymphocytes |
| Lymphocytopenia | Deficiency of lymphocytes in the blood |
| Lymphoid | Derived from lymph tissue. |
| Lymphoid Organs | Llymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland |
| Lymphoma | Malignant tumor of lymph nodes and lymph tissue. Examples include Hodgkin's lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma |
| Lymphopoiesis | Formation of lymph |
| Lymph Vessels | Carriers of lymph throughout the body; lymph vessels empty lymph into veins in the upper part of the chest |
| Macrophage | A large phagocyte found in lymph nodes and other tissues of the body. |
| Mediastinal Nodes | Lymph nodes in the area between the lungs in the thoracic (chest) cavity |
| Mononucleosis | Acute infectious disease with enlarged lymph nodes and increased numbers of lymphocytes and monoytes in the bloodstream |
| Opportunistic Infections | Infectious diseases associated with AIDS; they occur because AIDS lowers the body's resistance and allows infection by bacteria and parasites that are normally easily contained |
| Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma | Malignant tumor of lymph nodes and lymph tissue that includes lymphocytic lymphoma (composed of lymphocytes) and histiocytic lymphoma (composed of large lymphocytes that resemble histiocytes or large macrophages). |
| Plasma Cell | A cell that secretes antibodies and originates from B cell lymphocytes |
| Protease Inhibitor | A drug that treats AIDS by blocking the production of protease, a proteolytic enzyme that helps to create new viral pieces for HIV |
| Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor | A drug that treats AIDS by blocking reverse transcriptase, an enzyme needed to make copies of the HIV virus. |
| Retrovirus | Virus that makes copies of itself by using the host cell's DNA. This is in reverse (retro) fashion because the regular method is for DNA to copy itself onto RNA |
| Right Lymphatic Duct | A large lymph vessel in the chest that receives lymph from the upper right part of the body |
| Sarcoidosis | Inflammatory disease in which small nodules, or tubercles, form in lymph nodes and other organs. Lesions develop on the skin and in the spleen, lungs, lymph nodes, and liver. |
| Spleen | Organ near the stomach that produces, stores, and eliminates blood cells |
| Suppressor cells | T cell lymphocytes that inhibit the activity of B cell lymphocytes |
| Splenectomy | Removal of the spleen |
| CD4+ lymphocytes | Helper T cells that carry the CD4+ protein antigen on their surface. HIV binds to CD4+ and infects T cells bearing this protein |
| Splenomegaly | Enlargement of the spleen |
| Thoracic Duct | Large lymph vessel in the chest that receives lymph from below the diaphragm and from the left side of the body above the diaphragm |
| Thymoma | Malignant tumor of the thymus gland |
| Thymectomy | Removal of the thymus gland |
| Thymus Gland | Organ in the mediastinum that produces T cell lymphocytes and aids in the immune response |
| Tonsils | Masses of lymph tissue in the back of the oropharynx |
| Toxic | Pertaining to poison |
| Toxin | A poison, a protein produced by certain bacteria, animals, and plants |
| Vaccination | Introduction of altered antigens (viruses or bacteria) to produce an immune response and protection against disease. |
| ELISA | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; a test used to screen blood for antibodies to AIDS virus |
| Western blot | Test to detect the presence of HIV (AIDS virus) in serum |
| CT (CAT) scan | Computerized axial tomography (x-ray views in a transverse plane) is used to diagnose abnormalities such as those of the lymphoid organs |
