B cells and humoral immunity

Question 1

What is humoral immunity

Answer 1

Humoral immunity is the process of adaptive immunity manifested by the production of antibodies by B lymphocytes. It develops in bone marrow. B cells may be triggered to proliferate into plasma cells. Plasma cells produce antibodies. Antibodies are produced when the antigen bonds the B cell receptor (BCR).

Question 2

What do plasma cells do

Answer 2

They secrete anti bodies into blood plasma these lead to the destruction of the antigen they only last for a few days they are the immediate response against infection the production of antibodies and memory cells is the primary immune response

Question 3

What are memory cells

Answer 3

Memory cells are responsible for the secondary immune response. Memory cells live considerably longer than plasma cells, often for decades. These cells do not produce antibodies directly, but circulate in the blood and tissue fluid. When they encounter the same antigen at a later date, they divide rapidly and develop into plasma cells and more memory cells.

Question 4

What the summary of b cells in humoral immunity

Answer 4

The surface antigens of an invading pathogen are taken up by a B cell.
2 The B cell processes the antigens and presents them on its surface.
3
Helper T cells (activated in the process described in Topic 5.3) attach 4
to the processed antigens on the B cell thereby activating the B cell.
The B cell is now activated to divide by mitosis to give a clone of plasma cells.
The cloned plasma cells produce and secrete the specific antibody 6
that exactly fits the antigen on the pathogen’s surface.
The antibody attaches to antigens on the pathogen and destroys them (see Topic 5.5).
Some B cells develop into memory cells. These can respond to future infections by the same pathogen by dividing rapidly and developing into plasma cells that produce antibodies. This is the secondary immune response