Immunology

1. Components of the Immune System
   1. Innate Immune System
      1. Physical Barriers
         1. Skin
            1. Structure and Function in Immunity
            2. Role in Microbial Defense
            3. Skin Microbiota and its Impact on Immune Function
         2. Mucous Membranes
            1. Types of Mucous Membranes and Locations
            2. Secretions and Their Protective Roles
            3. Role of Cilia and Mucus in Pathogen Clearance
            4. Associations with Resident Microflora
      2. Cellular Components
         1. Phagocytes
            1. Macrophages
               1. Origin and Differentiation
               2. Functions in Phagocytosis and Antigen Presentation
               3. Role in Inflammation and Tissue Repair
               4. Subtypes of Macrophages and their Specialized Functions
            2. Neutrophils
               1. Life Cycle and Migration
               2. Mechanisms of Phagocytosis and Net Formation
               3. Importance in Acute Inflammatory Responses
               4. Interaction with Other Immune Cells
         2. Natural Killer Cells
            1. Mechanism of Target Recognition and Killing
            2. Role in Tumor Surveillance
            3. Involvement in Viral Infections
            4. Interaction with Other Components of the Immune System
         3. Dendritic Cells
            1. Types and Locations
            2. Role as Professional Antigen-Presenting Cells
            3. Migration and Maturation Processes
            4. Importance in Initiating Adaptive Immune Responses
      3. Molecular components
         1. Complement System
            1. Pathways of Activation: Classical, Alternative, Lectin
            2. Effector Functions: Opsonization, Inflammation, Membrane Attack Complex
            3. Regulation of the Complement System
            4. Role in Disease and Therapeutics
         2. Cytokines
            1. Classification and Functions of Major Cytokines
            2. Roles in Communication Between Innate and Adaptive Immunity
            3. Cytokine Storms and their Implications in Disease
         3. Chemokines
            1. Types and Functions in Cell Migration
            2. Role in Inflammatory Responses
            3. Chemokine Receptors and Their Signaling Pathways
   2. Adaptive Immune System
      1. Lymphocytes
         1. B Cells
            1. Development and Maturation
            2. Antigen Recognition and Processing
            3. Antibody Production: Ig Classes, Switching, and Memory
            4. Role in Humoral Immunity
            5. Memory B Cells: Formation and Persistence
         2. T Cells
            1. Development in the Thymus and Peripheral Differentiation
            2. Subtypes of T Cells: Functions and Effector Mechanisms
            3. Helper T Cells
               1. Role in Activating B Cells and Other Immune Cells
               2. Subtypes: Th1, Th2, Th17, Tfh and their Functions
            4. Cytotoxic T Cells
               1. Mechanisms of Target Cell Killing
               2. Recognition of Infected and Cancerous Cells
            5. Regulatory T Cells
               1. Maintenance of Immune Tolerance
               2. Suppression of Autoimmune Responses
            6. Memory T Cells
               1. Long-term Immunological Memory and Rapid Response
      2. Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)
         1. Class I MHC
            1. Structure and Expression on Nucleated Cells
            2. Role in Presenting Endogenous Antigens
            3. Interaction with CD8+ T Cells
         2. Class II MHC
            1. Expression on Professional Antigen-Presenting Cells
            2. Mechanism of Presenting Exogenous Antigens
            3. Interaction with CD4+ T Cells
      3. Antigen Presentation
         1. Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs)
            1. Types: Dendritic Cells, Macrophages, B Cells
            2. Role in Adaptive Immunity Activation
            3. Cross-presentation and its Significance
         2. Process of Antigen Presentation
            1. Proteolysis and Peptide Loading on MHC Molecules
            2. Presentation Pathways: Endocytosis, Phagocytosis, Cytosolic Entry
            3. Influence on T Cell Activation and Differentiation