3.6 Flashcards
what is an antigen
types of protein found on the surface of pathogens
why do lymphocytes respond to pathogens
each has a single type of membrane receptor , they respond to specific pathogens as each receptor is specific to an antigen in an invading pathogen
what is a clonal population
multiple of the same lymphocyte are produced
what causes a clonal population
the binding of the membrane receptor and the antigen leads to the lymphocyte repeatedly dividing
what happens to the clonal population
some cells are used immediately , some are kept as memory cells
how do b lymphocytes respond to antigens
they produce antibodies which bind to antigens inactivating the pathogen, resulting in a complex to be destroyed by phagocytes
describe apoptosis
t lymphocytes attach to infected cells and release proteins which diffuse into cell and tell the cell to self destruct , its then removed by phagocytosis
how do y lymphocytes work
destroy infected body cells by recognising antigens of the pathogen on the membrane and inducing apoptosis
why is the ability to distinguish between self and non self cells important for t lymphocytes
if good cells are killed you may develop an immune disease
how do memory cells make the secondary response better
makes it faster
higher concentration of antibodies
concentration is maintained for longer
