Innate Immunity, Complement and Inflammation

What this unit covers

The resources here follow the body's first line of defence. You will find material on barriers, cells, receptors, complement and inflammation, all made by GoConqr users rather than by GoConqr itself.

• Cells: flashcards on Neutrophils, Macrophages, Monocytes, Dendritic cells and Natural killer cells.
• Recognition: TLRs and Signaling, plus the mind map Pattern recognition Receptors of Innate Immunity.
• Complement: quizzes on the Classical Pathway and the Complement cascade, plus Complement and MAC.
• Inflammation: mind maps such as Inflammasome and Acute Phase Reactants, and flashcards on Extravasation and cardinal signs.

Where to start

Begin with a broad mind map such as Components of Innate Immunity or Defensive Barriers. It gives you the overall picture in one view. Then move to the Phagocytosis mind map, which walks through four stages: chemotaxis, opsonization, ingestion and killing.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The Complement quiz asks how many proteins are involved in the cascade, and the Classical Pathway quiz asks which protein cleaves C4 and which antibodies can activate the pathway. If an answer surprises you, go back to the Complement Proteins mind map and look again.

Flashcards suit short, repeated recall. The deck Unit 2 Exam Review mixes questions on haematopoiesis, phagocytosis and chronic granulomatous disease, so it is useful once you have covered the basics. Teachers can use the shorter quizzes and maps as ready-made starters or revision tasks.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Basic Immunology strand of Microbiology and immunology. It is entirely university level, so the material assumes some background in cells and pathogens.

Next step

Choose one topic, such as neutrophils or complement, and work through its map, deck and quiz in turn. Then try making a set of your own.