40-3 Immune System Disorders Page1043

A. Allergies 1. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to antigens.

A. Allergies 2. Mast Cells respond to antigens by releasing histamine.

A. Allergies 3. Histamines increase blood flow to that area and mucus production in the respiratory system which causes sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose.

A. Allergies 4. Antihistamines are drugs taken to decrease histamines.

B. Asthma 1. Asthma is chronic respiratory disease that causes air passages to narrow (makes it difficult to breathe).

B. Asthma 2. Asthma attacks can be triggered by infections, exercise, emotional distress, etc.

C. Autoimmune Diseases 1. When the immune system makes a mistake and attacks the body's own cells, it produces an autoimmune disease.

C. Autoimmune Diseases 2. Examples include: Type I Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease) 1. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) destroys helper T cells.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease) 2. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carries its genetic information in RNA.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease) 3. HIV enters a cell and inserts its genetic information so that the cell now produces viral RNA and proteins.

D.AIDS (Immunodeficiency Disease) 4. The fewer helper T cells, the more advanced the disease.