Immunology · Lymphoid anatomy and histology, immune cell identification, lymphocyte development and recirculation
By completing this question set, you will be able to distinguish primary from secondary lymphoid organs and explain why each is essential for a functional immune system. You will trace B-cell development from hematopoietic stem cell through immature B cell in the bone marrow and explain negative selection as the mechanism preventing autoreactive B cells from entering circulation. You will describe thymic architecture (cortex vs medulla), map positive and negative selection to their correct thymic compartments, and predict the immunologic consequences of thymic aplasia. You will identify lymph node zones by their cellular residents and predict which zone hyperplasia pattern corresponds to viral vs bacterial infections. You will describe splenic architecture and explain why asplenic patients are uniquely vulnerable to encapsulated organisms. You will identify immune cell types by their surface markers, morphologic features, and functional roles — and apply this knowledge to clinical contexts including flow cytometry interpretation and therapeutic targeting. You will trace the leukocyte adhesion cascade and predict the consequences of defects at each step.