For Immunology Chapter 5 Day 1 There are a number of proteins and peptides with antimicrobial properties that are produced on skin and mucosal surfaces.  Be prepared to teach the other students in the class about: Lysozyme and lactoferrin  S100 proteins and defensins  Surfactant proteins and cathelicidin   What sort of problems would a mutation in CD91 presumably cause?  … Continue reading Intro to Innate Immunity

For Immunology Chapter 4 Day 3 Compare and contrast signaling via small G proteins (page 78) with large G proteins (p132). Include the regulatory activity of GAPs and GEFs in your answer. We’ve already talked about IL-1 regulation via IL-1ra and soluble IL-1 receptors. Now discuss viral mechanisms of interfering with IL-1 and consider whether … Continue reading Final Thoughts on Cytokines

For Immunology Chapter 4 Day 2 Why is it important for type I interferon (IFN-I) to act in both autocrine and paracrine fashions? What types of infectious diseases would be targeted by IFN-I vs IFN-II?  Where does the signal to induce IFN-I occur? How is the JAK-STAT pathway different than the pathways using ITAMs such … Continue reading Six Cytokine Families