ImmuneGuardImmune Response Simulator

Objectives

• ›Understand the role of cytotoxic T cells in controlling virus-infected cells.
• ›Visualize the delay of the primary adaptive response.
• ›Relate simulated viral load to inflammation and tissue damage within the model.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start and watch resident macrophages trying to contain the virus.
2. 2Note the recruitment of T cells after a few seconds.
3. 3Follow the viral load drop until clearance.

Objectives

• ›Recognize phagocytes as the front line against bacteria.
• ›Understand antibody opsonization.
• ›Relacionar o recrutamento intenso de neutrófilos à formação de exsudato purulento em algumas infecções.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start and recruit phagocytes to contain the multiplication.
2. 2Activate B cells to generate specific antibodies.
3. 3Observe the synergy between antibodies and phagocytosis.

Objectives

• ›Understand the immunological basis of vaccines.
• ›Compare the primary response with the secondary (memory) one.
• ›Observe why the secondary response tends to start earlier than the primary response.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start and completely clear the first infection.
2. 2When "Reinfect (test memory)" appears, click to re-expose the tissue.
3. 3Observe accelerated adaptive activation by memory cells in the model.

Objectives

• ›Understand the impact of a deficient cellular (CD4+/CD8+) response.
• ›See why viruses and fungi persist longer in this host.
• ›Notice that T memory does not reach its maximum level.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start: CD8+ cytotoxicity and CD4+ help are reduced.
2. 2Observe the slower viral control and pathogen persistence.
3. 3Follow the limited T memory at the end.

Objectives

• ›Understand the role of antibodies against extracellular pathogens.
• ›Grasp the impact of low antibody and plasma-cell production.
• ›Relate humoral deficiency to infections and reinfections.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start: antibody production is greatly reduced.
2. 2Try to activate B cells — note the weak opsonization.
3. 3Observe the dependence on T cells and phagocytes.

Objectives

• ›Understand why phagocytes are essential against bacteria and fungi.
• ›See how antibodies tag, but clearance fails.
• ›Relate deficient phagocytosis to persistence and damage.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start: macrophages and neutrophils act with low efficiency.
2. 2Note the pathogen tagged, but not eliminated.
3. 3Observe tissue damage rising due to persistence.

Objectives

• ›Understand broad immunosuppression (multiple reduced arms).
• ›Realize why the response is slow and uncoordinated.
• ›Relate systemic suppression to residual inflammation and damage.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start: innate and adaptive defenses are partially reduced.
2. 2Manually mobilize the available defenses.
3. 3Observe outcomes with persistent infection or tissue injury.

Objectives

• ›Understand how prior vaccination is represented in the model by memory and antibodies.
• ›Observe a faster secondary response (memory + IgG).
• ›Compare with an infection in a host without immunity.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start: the organism already has memory and circulating IgG.
2. 2Note the accelerated adaptive activation in the model.
3. 3Follow the fast control with a low peak load.

Objectives

• ›Understand hyperinflammation (cytokine storm).
• ›Realize that the immune response itself can cause damage.
• ›Relate dysregulated inflammatory signaling to tissue damage in the model.

Walkthrough

1. 1Start with high virulence and an intense inflammatory response.
2. 2Follow the sharp rise in cytokines.
3. 3Observe the hyperinflammation outcome in the tissue.