Biology 480 Immunology

Course Information

Introduction

The content of this Course Information link is essential to your successful completion of the course. This information will help you to proceed through the course in a systematic manner, use the course materials effectively, and understand the procedures to be followed to complete the course.

Be sure to read through each section carefully, but pay particular attention to the course objectives and the study schedule. The schedule indicates what you should be working on each week and when the assignments should be uploaded. Note also the Student Evaluation section, and return to it often to keep yourself on track and organized with respect to the assignments. Be sure to contact your academic expert if you have any questions about getting started with your studies or about the course itself.

Course Description

Biology 480: Immunology is a three-credit senior-level course that covers the principal concepts of immunology. The course discusses the components of the immune system and presents the immune mechanisms critical to immune function. It also covers the immune response to infection and the diseases that result when immunity is compromised or non-functional. The course introduces current methods of studying immunity and the clinical applications in the field.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to

• explain the components and functions of innate and adaptive immunity.
• identify the role of signal transduction in the immune response.
• compare and contrast the components of the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.
• explain the function and components of the complement system.
• describe antigen presentation and the role of the major histocompatibility complex.
• explain the principles of hypersensitivity reactions, inflammation, and autoimmunity
• review the immune response to infectious diseases and the role of vaccines in immunity to disease.
• discuss the role of the immune system in AIDS, cancer, and transplantation.

Course Materials

The course materials for Biology 480: Immunology are a combination of online and offline materials. The course package you received by mail should have contained the course textbook as listed below. If you have any questions about your course package, contact Athabasca University, toll free, from anywhere in Canada or the United States at 1-800-788-9041, and ask to speak to someone in Course Materials (ext. 6366). Students in the Edmonton and Calgary dialing areas are asked to call the Athabasca University offices in those locations, and then dial the four-digit extension. You may also send an email message to cmat@athabascau.ca.

Textbook

Owen, J.A., Punt, J., & Stranford, S.A. (2013). Kuby Immunology (7th ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Forms: The MyAU Portal contains the forms you need to request an examination or notify the University of a change in your status as a student.

Course Objectives

Biology 480: Immunology identifies specific learning objectives for each of the twelve study units. In addition, this course is designed to help you achieve the following broad course objectives.

1. Understand the basis of the immune response.
2. Understand the principles of innate and adaptive immunity.
3. Identify and define the function of the cells and organs of the immune system.
4. Understand the role of signal transduction in the immune response.
5. Describe the generation and function of antibodies.
6. Know the function and components of complement.
7. Describe antigen presentation and the role of the major histocompatibility complex.
8. Understand the role of the T-cell receptor in the immune response.
9. Know the processes of B- and T-cell activation.
10. Understand immune effector mechanisms.
11. Understand the role of cytokines in the immune response.
12. Understand the effect of hypersensitivity reactions.
13. Define the process of inflammation.
14. Describe cell-mediated cytotoxic responses.
15. Define tolerance and autoimmunity.
16. Understand the immune response to infectious diseases.
17. Define the role of vaccines in immunity to disease.
18. Comprehend immunodeficiency.
19. Discuss the role of the immune system in AIDS, cancer, and transplantation.

Course Outline

Biology 480: Immunology comprises twelve units, each of which is further divided into lessons, as indicated below.

You will need to work through each lesson carefully. Begin by reading the overview, and then pay close attention to the learning objectives. As you work through the assigned readings, keep the learning objectives in mind. You will probably find it helpful to read the material at least twice: once to familiarize yourself with the subject matter, and a second time to make notes. Review the material by answering the study questions. Note that some lessons include an additional study question or two from the course textbook. Contact your tutor to discuss any lingering uncertainties or difficulties you may be having with the material.

Unit 1 Overview of the Immune System
Lesson 1.1 Introduction to Immunology
Lesson 1.2 Infection and Immunity
Lesson 1.3 Immunogenicity and Antigenicity
Lesson 1.4 Cells and Organs of the Immune System

Unit 2 Receptors and Signaling
Lesson 2.1 Signaling Pathways
Lesson 2.2 Signal Transduction in B cells
Lesson 2.3 T-Cell Receptors and Signaling
Lesson 2.4 Cytokines and Chemokines

Unit 3 Innate Immunity
Lesson 3.1 Anatomical Barriers to Infection
Lesson 3.2 Phagocytosis
Lesson 3.3 Induced Cellular Innate Responses
Lesson 3.4 Inflammatory Responses
Lesson 3.5 Natural Killer Cells
Lesson 3.6 Regulation and Evasion of Innate and Inflammatory Responses
Lesson 3.7 Interactions between the Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems

Unit 4 The Complement System
Lesson 4.1 The Functions and Components of Complement
Lesson 4.2 The Major Pathways of Complement Activation
Lesson 4.3 The Diverse Functions of Complement
Lesson 4.4 Regulation of the Complement System
Lesson 4.5 Complement Deficiencies
Lesson 4.6 Microbial Complement Evasion Strategies

Unit 5 Organization and Expression of Antibody and Lymphocyte Receptor Genes
Lesson 5.1 Antibody Structure
Lesson 5.2 Antibody Diversity and Gene Recombination
Lesson 5.3 B-Cell Receptor Expression
Lesson 5.4 T-Cell Receptor Genes and Expression

Unit 6 The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and Antigen Presentation
Lesson 6.1 The Structure and Function of MHC Molecules
Lesson 6.2 Organization and Inheritance of MHC
Lesson 6.3 The Role of the MHC and Expression Patterns
Lesson 6.4 The Endogenous Pathway of Antigen Processing and Presentation
Lesson 6.5 The Exogenous Pathway of Antigen Processing and Presentation
Lesson 6.6 Cross-Presentation of Exogenous Antigens
Lesson 6.7 Presentation of Nonpeptide Antigens

Unit 7 T-Cell and B-Cell Development and Activation
Lesson 7.1 T-Cell Development
Lesson 7.2 B-Cell Development
Lesson 7.3 T-Cell Activation, Differentiation, and Memory
Lesson 7.4 B-Cell Activation, Differentiation, and Memory Generation

Unit 8 Effector Responses: Cell- and Antibody-Mediated Immunity
Lesson 8.1 Antibody-Mediated Effector Functions
Lesson 8.2 Cell-Mediated Effector Functions
Lesson 8.3 The Immune Response in Space and Time

Unit 9 Allergy, Hypersensitivities, and Chronic Inflammation
Lesson 9.1 Allergy: A Type I Hypersensitivity Reaction
Lesson 9.2 Antibody-Mediated (Type II) Hypersensitivity Reactions
Lesson 9.3 Immune-Complex-Mediated (Type III) Hypersensitivity
Lesson 9.4 Delayed-Type (Type IV) Hypersensitivity (DTH)
Lesson 9.5 Chronic Inflammation

Unit 10 Tolerance, Autoimmunity, and Transplantation
Lesson 10.1 Tolerance
Lesson 10.2 Autoimmunity
Lesson 10.3 Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases
Lesson 10.4 Transplantation Immunology

Unit 11 Infectious Diseases and Vaccines
Lesson 11.1 Viral Infections
Lesson 11.2 Bacterial Infections
Lesson 11.3 Parasitic Infections
Lesson 11.4 Fungal Infections
Lesson 11.5 Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases
Lesson 11.6 Vaccines

Unit 12 The Immune System in Health and Disease
Lesson 12.1 Primary Immunodeficiencies
Lesson 12.2 Secondary Immunodeficiencies
Lesson 12.3 Cancer and the Immune System

Study Skills

Establishing a weekly study schedule is essential to your success in this course. Block out a certain amount of time each week, say four to six hours, and commit yourself to keeping that time aside for your course work. Use the suggested study schedule as a way of determining whether you need more (or slightly less) time to achieve your weekly tasks.

Organize your study environment in a way that works for you. Take some time to assess what kind of study environment you require to obtain optimal productivity for your time. Pay attention to what works, and what doesn’t. Be flexible, making adjustments as needed as you progress through the course.

Use your study time actively. When you read, stop frequently, and try to summarize the important points in your own words. Just recalling the points is not as good as recalling them and writing them down. If you cannot remember, reread the passage. When you begin to lose your concentration, stop and take a break.

When you read through a chapter and find a point that you do not understand, make a note of it. Come back to it and read it again, perhaps after taking a break. Be sure to discuss any especially difficult topics with your tutor as part of your regular contact. Clearing up any difficulties along the way will keep your learning uncluttered and will help you build a solid knowledge base throughout the course. Use your regular tutor contact to your best advantage: your tutor wants you to do well in the course and is committed to providing you with guidance and support—but you do need to keep in touch.

Note on terminology: As does any other area of study, immunology has its own vocabulary of technical terms. Don’t let this overwhelm you. The terms are not too difficult to remember, especially if you can learn something about their derivation. Your textbook has a good index and an extensive glossary.

Study Schedule

Students who approach their studies in a systematic and organized manner are more likely to complete the course successfully than are those students who do not plan a course of action for themselves. You are advised, therefore, to follow a study schedule to assist you in budgeting your time and scheduling your progress.

The following schedule is designed to help you organize your activities and complete the course in sixteen weeks, which is well within the six-month individualized-study course contract that is standard for a three-credit course at Athabasca University. You may wish to print out this schedule and use it as a checklist to track your progress through the course.

Be sure to contact your tutor if you have difficulty with the material, or if you are unable to adhere to the schedule as suggested. If you find yourself falling behind in your course work, contact your tutor immediately. He or she will be able to advise you as to what options are available to you. You may, of course, proceed more quickly (or somewhat more slowly) than is suggested by this study schedule.

Note: Students receiving financial assistance may face more rigorous time constraints. Check your course registration for any restrictions on the length of registration, and be prepared to adjust your schedule.

Suggested Study Schedule for Biology 480: Immunology

Click here for a PDF version of the study schedule to download and/or print.