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Description
This programme examines the important basic ideas of modern immunology. It looks at some of the experiments which were done to establish the clonal selection theory as part of the central dogma of ...immunology.
This programme examines the important basic ideas of modern immunology. It looks at some of the experiments which were done to establish the clonal selection theory as part of the central dogma of ...immunology.
| Module code and title: | S322, Biochemistry and molecular biology |
|---|---|
| Item code: | S322; 13 |
| First transmission date: | 01-09-1977 |
| Published: | 1977 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:22:50 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | James Burge |
| Contributors: | Macfarlane Burnet; James Cowans; Niels Jerne; Martin Raff |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Clonal selection hypothesis; Immune response; Immunological memory; Immunological tolerance; Immunology; Lymphocytes |
| Footage description: | Film, under optical magnification, of bacteria multiplying inside a host and then being attacked by antibodies. Close up shots of smallpox victims and a statue of Jenner vaccinating a boy. Martin Raff introduces the programme. Raff, writing and drawing on a board, points out the two ways in which a system responds to antigens: a cell mediated immune response and a humoral antibody response. James Gowans, who performed the experiments which demonstrated that both responses were induced by lymphocytes, explains how these experiments were performed and their results. Using animated diagrams, Martin Raff explains how the two types of lymphocytes (T and B lymphocytes) are formed and distributed in birds. He gives details of experiments performed on birds which confirmed this. Raff goes on to explain how this occurs in man. Animated diagrams illustrate his points. Raff lists the three principle concepts important in understanding immunity. He then briefly outlines the first of these - clonal selection. MacFarlane-Burnett, who first postulated the clonal hypothesis, explains how clonal selection works. He uses the analogy of a clothes shop to illustrate his points. Using animated diagrams, Raff relates the above analogy to the immune system of an organism. He goes on to discuss the experimental evidence in favour of the clonal selection hypothesis. Shots of experiments being carried out on mice. Raff explains the second principle of immunology - immunological memory. Shot of Jenner vaccinating a child and film of a baby being vaccinated. Raff draws a graph to help illustrate his points. Drawing more graphs on a board, Raff discusses the final principle of immunology - immunological tolerance. He cites the failure of the body's immune system to respond to itself as an example. Film shots of Burnett and Peter Medawar receiving the Nobel prize in 1961 for their work in this field. Raff recaps the experiments of Edward Triplett which provided the evidence that an organisms failure to respond to its own antigens was due to immunological tolerance. Neils Jerne sums up the main points of the clonal selection hypothesis. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/72490 |
| Production number: | 00525_1270 |
| Videofinder number: | 1020 |
| Available to public: | no |
