adaptive immunity - how it works

Question 1

pros of adaptive immunity

Answer 1

fight infection
immunity to reinfection - vaccination
kill mutated/tumour cells

Question 2

cons of adaptive immunity

Answer 2

allergy
autoimmunity
transplant rejection

Question 3

t and b cells

Answer 3

both types of lymphocytes
found in lymph
spend most time in secondary lymphoid organs

Question 4

adaptive immune cells

Answer 4

each has unique receptor which binds to specific antigen - antigen specificity

Question 5

what are t/b cells called if never activated

Answer 5

naive t/b cells

Question 6

what are t/b cells called once activated

Answer 6

effector t/b cells
some become memory cells

Question 7

b cells

Answer 7

antibody producing cells
once activated become plasma cells - produce antibodies which bind to specific antigen

Question 8

what are antibodies

Answer 8

y shaped soluble secreted molecules that circulate in blood/body fluids
bind to pathogens and kill them/mark them to be eaten/neutralise them

Question 9

2 main types of t cells

Answer 9

cd8+ cytotoxic t lymphocyte - kills infected/mutated self cells
cd4+ t helper cells - organise immune responses, produce different cytokines. can differentiate into different types

Question 10

clonal selection

Answer 10

t and b cells express receptors of random specificity
naive t/b cells bear receptors of single specificity
when t/b cells bind specific antigen, it activates and proliferates
daughter cells express identical receptor to parent
expanded population mediates immune response
some daughter cells become memory cells - maintained at higher frequency and primed to respond rapidly in future

Question 11

structure of b and t cells

Answer 11

variable regions - bind antigen and are different between receptor on different cells
constant region - dont vary and important for function and signalling