Role of lymphocytes in the immune system: B cells

Question 1

Define plasma B cells

Answer 1

They produce antibodies

Question 2

Define memory B cells

Answer 2

They survive for years after the infection is eliminated and can make the specific antibody if the same infection later enters the body

Question 3

Where do B cells move after they have matured?

Answer 3

B cells move out into lymphatic tissue

Question 4

What are B cells adapted to do?

Answer 4

Each B cell is adapted to recognise only one specific antigen, which is usually present on the surface of a macrophage.

Question 5

What does each B cell produce?

Answer 5

Each B cell produces only one type of antibody in response to that specific antigen

Question 6

When a B cell comes into contact with the antigen that it is specific to, what happens?

Answer 6

it multiplies to produce large amounts of the required antibody

Question 7

How do antibodies inactivate antigens? What does this allow?

Answer 7

by attaching to them. This allows the cell that carries the antigen to be disposed of if by phagocytes or by activating the complement system, which causes the cell to burst.

Question 8

When do most B cells die off?

Answer 8

Once the infection has been overcome

Question 9

What allows the body to respond to the same antigen when it enters the body again?

Answer 9

The surviving memory B cells

Question 10

Memory B cells allow the body to respond to the same antigen when it enters the body again. How does this happen?

Answer 10

The memory B cells convert to plasma B cells, which produce the specific antibody