Nokea
A nursing student is giving a report on the immune system. What function of cytokines should the student describe?
- A. Determining whether a cell is foreign
- B. Determining if lymphokines will be activated
- C. Determining whether the T cells will remain in the nodes and retain a memory of the antigen
- D. Determining whether the immune response will be the production of antibodies or a cell-mediated response
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Separate subpopulations of helper T cells produce different types of cytokines and determine whether the immune response will be the production of antibodies or a cell-mediated immune response. Cytokines do not determine whether cells are foreign, determine if lymphokines will be activated, or determine the role of memory T cells.
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Diagnostic testing has revealed a deficiency in the function of a patients complement system. This patient is likely to have an impaired ability to do which of the following?
- A. Protecting the body against viral infection
- B. Marking the parameters of the immune response
- C. Bridging natural and acquired immunity
- D. Collecting immune complexes during inflammation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Complement has three major physiologic functions: defending the body against bacterial infection, bridging natural and acquired immunity, and disposing of immune complexes and the byproducts associated with inflammation. Complement does not mark the parameters of the immune response; complement does not collect immune complexes during inflammation.
An infection control nurse is presenting an inservice reviewing the immune response. The nurse describes the clumping effect that occurs when an antibody acts like a cross-link between two antigens. What process is the nurse explaining?
- A. Agglutination
- B. Cellular immune response
- C. Humoral response
- D. Phagocytic immune response
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Agglutination refers to the clumping effect occurring when an antibody acts as a cross-link between two antigens. This takes place within the context of the humoral immune response, but is not synonymous with it. Cellular immune response, the immune systems third line of defense, involves the attack of pathogens by T-cells. The phagocytic immune response, or immune response, is the systems first line of defense, involving white blood cells that have the ability to ingest foreign particles.
A nurse is explaining how the humoral and cellular immune responses should be seen as interacting parts of the broader immune system rather than as independent and unrelated processes. What aspect of immune function best demonstrates this?
- A. The movement of B cells in and out of lymph nodes
- B. The interactions that occur between T cells and B cells
- C. The differentiation between different types of T cells
- D. The universal role of the complement system
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: T cells interact closely with B cells, indicating that humoral and cellular immune responses are not separate, unrelated processes, but rather branches of the immune response that interact. Movement of B cells does not clearly show the presence of a unified immune system. The differentiation between types of T cells and the role of the complement system do not directly suggest a single immune system.
A nurse is reviewing the immune system before planning an immunocompromised patients care. How should the nurse characterize the humoral immune response?
- A. Specialized cells recognize and ingest cells that are recognized as foreign.
- B. T lymphocytes are assisted by cytokines to fight infection.
- C. Lymphocytes are stimulated to become cells that attack microbes directly.
- D. Antibodies are made by B lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The humoral response is characterized by the production of antibodies by B lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen. Phagocytosis and direct attack on microbes occur in the context of the cellular immune response.
A nurse is reviewing a patients medication administration record in an effort to identify drugs that may contribute to the patients recent immunosuppression. What drug is most likely to have this effect?
- A. An antibiotic
- B. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
- C. An antineoplastic
- D. An antiretroviral
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Chemotherapy affects bone marrow function, destroying cells that contribute to an effective immune response and resulting in immunosuppression. Antibiotics in large doses cause bone marrow suppression, but antineoplastic drugs have the most pronounced immunosuppressive effect. NSAIDs and antiretrovirals do not normally have this effect.