T Cell Development (Brusko) (A)  The thymus is divided into the cortical and medullary regions.  Specialized stromal cells within each region are key mediators in thymic selection.  Name these cell types and explain the process they mediate. Give specifics about the MHC expression of the stromal cell and the resulting surface expression of the thymocyte.  (4 points) (B)  More than 90% of thymocytes express the alpha-beta TCR, while only 10% express the gamma-delta TCR.  At what phase in thymocyte development are gamma-delta T cells produced, and what is unique about their developmental process?  (4 points)

T Helper Cells and Their Roles (Brusko) (A)  Naïve T cells follow a highly predictable program in response to TCR stimulus and costimulation provided in vitro.  Identify a molecular and/or cellular feature at three key points along this activation program – within hours, at 1-day post activation, and at several days post activation – that you would use to identify the T cell response to stimulus.  (4 points) (B)  Name the 4 major T helper subsets and an effector cytokine they produce.  (4 points) (C)  Briefly describe an example of T cell plasticity and explain why this phenomenon provides an advantage.  (2 points)

Somatic Diversification (Moser) Affinity maturation is a process induced by T-dependent antigens in germinal centers that increases the strength of antibody binding to antigen. (A)  Briefly describe the steps involved in the process that ensure that B cells with higher affinity for antigen emerge.   (4 points) (B)  Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is the enzyme that facilitates both Class Switching and Somatic Hypermutation in activated B cells.  For class switch recombination, which immunoglobulin chain(s) and region does AID target?  (2 points)

This is a 16 week course.

This is an online course

The upper receiving chamber of the heart is the

Veins carry

When collecting blood from a child, the phlebotomist should

Which of the following are infectious agents?

The phlebotomist was preparing to deliver pathology reports to the doctors’ mailboxes when she noted her neighbor had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. She promptly called her neighbor who had been anxiously awaiting the news. All of the following apply to the phlebotomist’s action except