NU 180 - CONCEPTS OF INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNITY EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY
LATEST UPDATE 2026
What is the main function of the immune and inflammatory systems? - Answers To protect the body
from illness and infection through a coordinated response.
What is immunocompetence? - Answers The ability of the immune system to mount an adequate
defense.
What is self-tolerance? - Answers The immune system's ability to recognize and not attack the body's
own cells.
Why are immunocompromised patients at high risk for infection? - Answers They may not show
typical signs (e.g., fever), so broad assessment is necessary.
What are the three lines of immune defense? - Answers 1. Physical/Chemical Barriers, 2.
Inflammatory Response, 3. Adaptive Immunity.
What are examples of physical and chemical barriers? - Answers Skin, mucous membranes, and
stomach acid.
What are characteristics of the inflammatory response? - Answers Immediate and non-specific;
involves neutrophils and macrophages.
What is adaptive immunity? - Answers A specific immune response involving T and B cells that forms
memory.
What are the stages of inflammation? - Answers Vascular response, cellular exudate response, and
tissue repair/replacement.
What happens during the vascular response? - Answers Vasodilation and increased permeability
cause redness, heat, and swelling.
What is the cellular exudate response? - Answers Neutrophils and macrophages infiltrate and form
pus.
When does tissue repair begin? - Answers After inflammation is controlled.
What are the cardinal signs of inflammation? - Answers Redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of
function.
What does purulent drainage around a surgical site indicate? - Answers Cellular exudate stage of
inflammation.
What is the role of neutrophils? - Answers First responders that perform phagocytosis; increased in
bacterial infections.
What do macrophages do? - Answers Long-lived phagocytes that present antigens; important in
chronic inflammation.
What is the function of basophils? - Answers Release histamine and heparin; elevated in allergic
reactions.
What are eosinophils responsible for? - Answers Combatting parasites and involvement in allergies.
What do lymphocytes (T and B cells) do? - Answers Coordinate adaptive immunity; reduced in
immunocompromised patients.
What is natural active immunity? - Answers Antibodies made from actual infection (e.g., chickenpox).
What is artificial active immunity? - Answers Vaccines that stimulate immunity (e.g., flu shot).
What is natural passive immunity? - Answers Antibodies passed from mother to child (placenta or
breastmilk).
What is artificial passive immunity? - Answers Injected antibodies (e.g., IVIG or rabies immune
globulin).
What is the most effective and long-lasting immunity type? - Answers Natural active immunity.
What do B cells do in humoral immunity? - Answers Produce antibodies through plasma cells.
What is the role of antibodies? - Answers Neutralize or tag pathogens for destruction.
What is IgG? - Answers The most abundant antibody; provides long-term immunity.
What is IgA? - Answers Found in mucous secretions like saliva, tears, GI and GU tracts.
What is IgM? - Answers The first antibody produced in an immune response.
What is IgE? - Answers Triggers allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.
What is IgD? - Answers Found on B cells; helps in early activation.
What do helper T cells (CD4+) do? - Answers Activate other immune cells in the adaptive immune
response.
What do cytotoxic T cells (CD8+) do? - Answers Kill infected or abnormal cells.
LATEST UPDATE 2026
What is the main function of the immune and inflammatory systems? - Answers To protect the body
from illness and infection through a coordinated response.
What is immunocompetence? - Answers The ability of the immune system to mount an adequate
defense.
What is self-tolerance? - Answers The immune system's ability to recognize and not attack the body's
own cells.
Why are immunocompromised patients at high risk for infection? - Answers They may not show
typical signs (e.g., fever), so broad assessment is necessary.
What are the three lines of immune defense? - Answers 1. Physical/Chemical Barriers, 2.
Inflammatory Response, 3. Adaptive Immunity.
What are examples of physical and chemical barriers? - Answers Skin, mucous membranes, and
stomach acid.
What are characteristics of the inflammatory response? - Answers Immediate and non-specific;
involves neutrophils and macrophages.
What is adaptive immunity? - Answers A specific immune response involving T and B cells that forms
memory.
What are the stages of inflammation? - Answers Vascular response, cellular exudate response, and
tissue repair/replacement.
What happens during the vascular response? - Answers Vasodilation and increased permeability
cause redness, heat, and swelling.
What is the cellular exudate response? - Answers Neutrophils and macrophages infiltrate and form
pus.
When does tissue repair begin? - Answers After inflammation is controlled.
What are the cardinal signs of inflammation? - Answers Redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of
function.
What does purulent drainage around a surgical site indicate? - Answers Cellular exudate stage of
inflammation.
What is the role of neutrophils? - Answers First responders that perform phagocytosis; increased in
bacterial infections.
What do macrophages do? - Answers Long-lived phagocytes that present antigens; important in
chronic inflammation.
What is the function of basophils? - Answers Release histamine and heparin; elevated in allergic
reactions.
What are eosinophils responsible for? - Answers Combatting parasites and involvement in allergies.
What do lymphocytes (T and B cells) do? - Answers Coordinate adaptive immunity; reduced in
immunocompromised patients.
What is natural active immunity? - Answers Antibodies made from actual infection (e.g., chickenpox).
What is artificial active immunity? - Answers Vaccines that stimulate immunity (e.g., flu shot).
What is natural passive immunity? - Answers Antibodies passed from mother to child (placenta or
breastmilk).
What is artificial passive immunity? - Answers Injected antibodies (e.g., IVIG or rabies immune
globulin).
What is the most effective and long-lasting immunity type? - Answers Natural active immunity.
What do B cells do in humoral immunity? - Answers Produce antibodies through plasma cells.
What is the role of antibodies? - Answers Neutralize or tag pathogens for destruction.
What is IgG? - Answers The most abundant antibody; provides long-term immunity.
What is IgA? - Answers Found in mucous secretions like saliva, tears, GI and GU tracts.
What is IgM? - Answers The first antibody produced in an immune response.
What is IgE? - Answers Triggers allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.
What is IgD? - Answers Found on B cells; helps in early activation.
What do helper T cells (CD4+) do? - Answers Activate other immune cells in the adaptive immune
response.
What do cytotoxic T cells (CD8+) do? - Answers Kill infected or abnormal cells.
