Immune System Historical Background

Summary

This video delves into the historical background of the immune system, beginning with Thucydides' observations during the Peloponnesian War around 430 BC, where survivors of diseases like typhus or smallpox were immune to reinfection. It highlights Edward Jenner's pioneering vaccination against smallpox in the 1700s, leading to its global eradication in 1980. Louis Pasteur's germ theory and development of attenuated vaccines are also featured, along with Peter Gore and George Snell's discovery of histocompatibility antigens in 1936, which revolutionized organ transplantation. The video emphasizes the incremental progress and key discoveries that have shaped our understanding of immunity.

Takeaways

• 📜 The concept of immunity was first mentioned by Thucydides around 430 BC during the Peloponnesian War.
• 🤒 The war was followed by epidemics, likely typhus or smallpox, which killed approximately 25% of the population.
• 🛡 Thucydides observed that individuals who had recovered from the disease could care for the sick without contracting it again, indicating immunity.
• 👨‍⚕️ Rhazes, a 10th-century Persian physician, also noted the principle of immunity from re-infection after recovery.
• 💉 Edward Jenner, known as the father of immunology, developed the first vaccination using cowpox to protect against smallpox.
• 🌐 Smallpox was the first disease to be eradicated worldwide in 1980, following the widespread use of vaccination.
• 🥛 Louis Pasteur advanced immunology by developing the germ theory of diseases and inventing pasteurization techniques for milk and wine.
• 🐔 Pasteur discovered the concept of an attenuated vaccine while working with the cholera bacteria in chickens, leading to the development of vaccines.
• 🔬 Peter Gore and George Snell's discovery of histocompatibility antigens in 1936 was pivotal for understanding organ transplant rejection.
• 🔄 The immune system can view transplanted organs as foreign invaders, leading to tissue rejection unless closely matched to the recipient.
• 🧬 Observations and small steps in understanding the immune system have been fundamental in the development of immunology and its applications.

Q & A

Who is believed to have made the first written mention of the immune system?

Thucydides is believed to have made the first written mention of the immune system around 430 BC.

What major event in Greek history is associated with the first mention of the immune system?

The Peloponnesian War is associated with the first mention of the immune system in written works by Thucydides.

What diseases are thought to have been introduced to Greece during the Peloponnesian War?

It is believed that the Peloponnesian War brought either typhus or smallpox to Greece.

What percentage of the population is estimated to have died due to the diseases brought by the war?

About 25% of the population is estimated to have died due to the diseases introduced during the war.

What observation by Thucydides about disease survivors is significant in the context of the immune system?

Thucydides observed that people who had the disease and recovered could nurse the sick without risk of catching the disease again, indicating the concept of immunity.

Who is the 10th-century Persian physician that also noted the observation of immunity?

Razis, a 10th-century Persian physician, also noted the observation of immunity.

What significant contribution did Edward Jenner make to the field of immunology?

Edward Jenner made the first vaccination to protect from a dangerous disease, using cowpox to protect against smallpox, and is known as the father of immunology.

In what year was smallpox eradicated worldwide?

Smallpox was eradicated worldwide in 1980.

What is the connection between Louis Pasteur's work on bacteria and the development of vaccines?

Louis Pasteur discovered that an old, less virulent culture of bacteria could be used to prevent serious disease, marking the first use of an attenuated vaccine.

What discovery by Peter Gore and George Snell advanced the field of transplantation?

Peter Gore and George Snell discovered the histocompatibility antigens and their role in transplantation, particularly in preventing transplant tissue rejection.

How does the immune system respond when a foreign organ is transplanted into a person?

When an organ is transplanted, the immune system may see it as a foreign invader and attack it, leading to the destruction of the tissue by macrophages and natural killer cells.

What is necessary for a transplanted organ to have a higher chance of survival?

For a transplanted organ to survive, it must be as closely matched to the recipient as possible to minimize the risk of tissue rejection.