Humoral immunity + primary and secondary responses

Question 1

What is humoral immunity?

Answer 1

The type of response which involves B lymphocytes and antibodies

Question 2

What does each type of B cell do?

Answer 2

Produces a specific antibody that responds to one specific antigen

Question 3

Outline a plasma B cell

Answer 3

When the B cell is activated to divide by mitosis it gives a clone of plasma cells which produce and secrete the specific antibody that exactly fits the antigen on the pathogen’s surface

Question 4

What is an antibody

Answer 4

A protein with specific binding sites produced by B cells in response to the presence of an appropriate antigen

Question 5

What are memory B cells?

Answer 5

Some B cells develop into memory cells which can respond to future infections by the same pathogen by dividing rapidly and developing into plasma cells that produce antibodies as part of the secondary response

Question 6

What is the primary response?

Answer 6

Caused by initial response to the antigen which involves the production of antibodies and memory cells

Question 7

What is the secondary response?

Answer 7

Caused by second exposure to the antigen. Memory cells are responsible for this response - they divide rapidly and develop into plasma cells (which secrete many antibodies quickly) and more memory cells