Innate immunity: barriers, pattern recognition and phagocytes
Barriers, pattern recognition receptors (TLRs, NLRs, RIG-I, cGAS-STING), neutrophil killing and the NADPH oxidase, NK cells and the inflammasome, with the immunodeficiencies and drugs that Paper 1 uses to test them.
Tier 1Medical sciences concept
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Innate immunity responds in minutes to hours, without prior exposure, using germline-encoded receptors that recognise conserved microbial structures (PAMPs) and molecules released by damaged cells (DAMPs).
- The main receptor families are Toll-like receptors (surface and endosomal), NOD-like receptors (including the NLRP3 inflammasome), RIG-I-like receptors and cGAS-STING in the cytosol, and C-type lectins such as dectin-1 for fungi.
- Effector arms: barriers, phagocytes (neutrophils, macrophages), NK cells, complement (see the complement system) and acute phase proteins.
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Sources
- Cellular and Molecular Immunology (10th ed.)Elsevier (Abbas, Lichtman and Pillai), 2022
- Janeway's Immunobiology (10th ed.)W. W. Norton (Murphy, Weaver and Berg), 2022
- Primary immunodeficiency: information for health professionalsAU/NZAustralasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
- Human inborn errors of immunity: 2024 update on the classification from the International Union of Immunological Societies Expert CommitteeJournal of Human Immunity (Poli et al.), 2025
- Virulence of catalase-deficient Aspergillus nidulans in p47phox-/- miceJournal of Clinical Investigation (Chang et al.), 101:1843-50, 1998
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
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