Question

11. What is the function of memory cells? how or when are they produced?

12. Explain how vaccination protects us based on what you know about primary and secondary/memory responses and memory cells. Include the terms primary response, secondary response and memory cells in your answer.

13. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement. The CD4T cell/Th cell is the commander in chief of our defence system. explain your answer.

14. We studied the immune system and innate defences in separate chapters as separate entities. Does this accurately reflect how our defences actually work? Explain using actual examples.

Answer 1

11. Memory cells are produced after the interaction of the antigen with the B cells or T cells. T memory cells remember the interaction with the antigen with the T cells and B memory cells remember the interaction between B cells and antigens.

Memory cells remember how did the antigen was removed from the body which specific antibody was produced. So, it is the memory cells which protects the body from the antigen during the second encounter.

When a B cell comes in contact with the antigen it differentiates into plasma cells which produce the antibodies and memory cells which remember how to interact with the antigen the second time.

12. Vaccine is a dead or weakened microorganism which when injected into the body elicits the immune response. The first interaction with the microorganism is known as primary response because it is the first interaction of the body with the microorganism. Now body produces antibodies to fight with the weak antigen. Antibodies are produced by B cells. Now memory cells remember which antibody to be produced when this antigen enters the body. Now, when the actual or alive antigen enters the body memory cells produce the same antibodies which were produced in the primary response. This second response of the body or second interaction of the body with the pathogen is called secondary immune response. Primary response is slow and secondary response is fast.

13. T helper cells are the commander chief of the defence system because they can only activate B cells. If T helper cells are not there B cells cannot be activated and body will be unable to produce the antibodies.