Epithelial cells serve as a frontline defense in innate immu…

Epithelial cells serve as a frontline defense in innate immunity by forming physical barriers and producing soluble mediators that influence immune responses. (A)  Propose one strategy to enhance epithelial cell-mediated innate immunity against a respiratory bacterial infection. Justify your approach based on known epithelial innate immune functions. (3 points) (B)  Design an experiment, assuming unlimited resources, to test the efficacy of your strategy from Part A. Briefly describe your methodology, controls, and expected results. (5 points)

Antibody & TCR Diversity (A)  Diversification of the T cell…

Antibody & TCR Diversity (A)  Diversification of the T cell receptor (TCR) primary repertoire is generated using the same mechanisms as for immunoglobulin genes.  Briefly define each of the four genetic mechanisms involved in generating Ab and TCR diversity:  Germline; Combinatorial; Junctional; and Association.  (4 points)  (B)  Why is it that the junctional diversity produced by addition of “P” and “N” nucleotides occurs in the CDR3 region and not the other two CDRs?  (2 points) (C)  Briefly define why a VH segment cannot join directly with a JH segment in heavy-chain gene rearrangement.  (2 points) (D)  Briefly define one advantage and one disadvantage of junctional diversity during the rearrangement of immunoglobulin gene segments.  (2 points)

MHC / HLA (A)  Which structural features distinguish MHC cla…

MHC / HLA (A)  Which structural features distinguish MHC class I from MHC class II molecules?  (2 points) (B)  In an individual heterozygous for all classical, polymorphic HLA genes, how many different HLA molecules will be expressed on the surface of a dendritic cell? Briefly explain your answer.  (2 points)

Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) are crucial components…

Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) are crucial components of the innate immune system, enabling immune cells to detect pathogens and initiate an immune response. (A)  Identify and describe one type of PRR that plays a critical role in sensing viral infections and propose a strategy to enhance this PRR-mediated immune responses. Justify your approach based on known PRR signaling mechanisms. (4 points) (B)  Propose a strategy to enhance PRR-mediated immune responses against viral infections. Design an experiment, assuming unlimited resources, to test the efficacy of your strategy. Briefly describe your methodology, controls, and expected results. (5 points)