Immunology: Adaptive Immune System

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/immunology-adaptive-immune-system

Introduction

### Course Review: "Immunology: Adaptive Immune System" on Coursera #### Course Overview The "Immunology: Adaptive Immune System" course, offered on Coursera, is a comprehensive and insightful journey into the complex world of the human immune response, particularly focusing on the adaptive or acquired immune system. This course, developed and guided by researchers from the Department of Immunity and Inflammation, provides an engaging blend of theoretical knowledge and practical understanding of how our body defends itself against pathogens. In today’s world, where understanding the immune system is more crucial than ever, this course offers a timely and relevant exploration of key concepts, mechanisms, and cellular responses that compose the adaptive immune system. #### Course Highlights The course is divided into six modules, each focusing on different aspects of the adaptive immune system. Here’s a brief breakdown of what you can expect from each module: 1. **B Cell Effector Functions and Tolerance**: This first module delves into the world of B lymphocytes, exploring their development, function, and how they contribute to the immune response. The focus here is on their effector mechanisms and the essential tolerance processes that prevent overactivity against the body’s healthy cells. 2. **T Cell Activation, T Helper Subsets and Receptors**: The second module shifts to T lymphocytes, highlighting their differentiation into crucial sub-types and their roles in orchestrating the adaptive immune response. Students will learn how T cells are activated and the body’s safeguards against their potential to harm healthy cells. 3. **Cytotoxic Killing**: In module three, the emphasis is on the cytotoxic capabilities of specific T lymphocytes. The course covers the mechanisms that activate these cells and contrasts them with other immune mechanisms, providing a comprehensive look at direct cell killing. 4. **Regulatory T Cells**: This module addresses the pivotal role of regulatory T cells in modulating immune responses to prevent excessive reactions that could be detrimental. Students will investigate the mechanisms these cells employ and their potential therapeutic applications. 5. **Lymphocyte Recirculation and Homing**: Module five takes a fascinating dive into the migration of immune cells, explaining how these cells travel to sites of infection. The importance of regulated migration is discussed, showcasing the intricate mechanisms that govern this process. 6. **The Effect of Age on Immune Function**: The final module addresses a critical concern in immunology: the impact of aging on the immune system. Students will explore concepts like "inflammaging," its causes, and consequences, and what this means for future therapeutic interventions. #### Learning Experience What sets this course apart is its engaging format and the expertise of the instructional team. The modules combine video lectures, reading materials, and hands-on activities, catering to different learning styles. Additionally, the information is updated and backed by current research in immunology, ensuring that learners receive relevant and high-quality content. Students have the opportunity to interact with a global community of learners, providing a platform to discuss concepts, share insights, and foster collaborative learning experiences. The assessments are well-structured, providing a mix of quizzes and hands-on projects designed to reinforce understanding and apply what you've learned. #### Recommendation I highly recommend the "Immunology: Adaptive Immune System" course for anyone interested in the field of immunology, whether you're a student, a healthcare professional, or simply a curious learner. The course's comprehensive syllabus covers fundamental and advanced topics, making it suitable for both beginners and those with prior knowledge of biology and immunology. Not only does this course equip you with foundational knowledge, but it also provides insights into cutting-edge research and the implications for human health, particularly in the context of aging and immune response regulation. Completing this course will give you a solid grasp of how our immune system operates, and it may inspire further exploration into specific areas of interest, possibly leading to more advanced studies or research opportunities in immunology and related fields. In summary, if you're looking to deepen your understanding of how the adaptive immune system functions and its implications for health, "Immunology: Adaptive Immune System" on Coursera is the perfect starting point. Sign up today and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of immunology!

Syllabus

B cell effector functions and tolerance

In module one, learners will discover who B lymphocytes are and how they contribute to our immune response against pathogens. Together, we will explore how they develop, commit to becoming functional effector cells and what their effector mechanisms are. We will also investigate how the immune system prevents them from over-reacting against health cells.

In module two, learners will discover how T lymphocytes develop, differentiate into two main sub-types and how these contribute to the orchestration of the adaptive immune response and the direct destruction of infected cells. We will also discuss the mechanism that our body has put in place to prevent these very powerful cells from turning against the host’s healthy cells.

In module three, we will explore the ability of some T lymphocytes to directly kill infected and tumour cells. We will learn about the mechanisms that activate them, contrast this with other complementary immune mechanisms of direct killing, and understand how their activation is kept under tight control to avoid the destruction of healthy cells.

In module four, we will explore the development and function of a particular type of T lymphocytes, regulatory T cells, whose main role is to regulate the overall immune response to avoid serious detrimental outcome for the host. We will look at their mechanisms of action in more details and discuss their therapeutic application for human health.

In module five, learners will be taken on a travel journey into our body to understand how the correct immune cells get to the correct site of infection. This will involve understanding the mechanisms by which immune cells migrate from the blood stream to infected tissues and sites of activation. Importantly, together with our expert here at Imperial, we will also explore the importance for this ability to be tightly regulated.

In module six, we will explore the impact ageing has on the immune system. We will identify what inflammaging is, its causes and its consequences on the immune system. We will reflect on what this means in terms of therapeutical approaches for human health.