HUMORAL RESPONSE IMMUNITY-B

• What type of cells are B lymphocytes also known as?

  B cells
• Where are B cells made and matured?

  In the bone marrow
• What does the humoral response involve?

  B cells and antibodies
• What is the old term for body fluids that relates to the humoral response?

  Humor
• Why is the humoral response named as such?

  Because antibodies are soluble in body fluids
• How many different lymphocytes are approximately present?

  10 million
• What do B cells create in response to antigens?

  Two different antibodies
• What happens when a B cell collides with a foreign antigen?

  It takes in the antigen by endocytosis
• What activates a B cell after it presents an antigen?

  A collision with a helper T-cell receptor
• What is clonal expansion in B cells?

  Creation of large numbers of identical B cells
• What do some B cells differentiate into after activation?

  Plasma cells and memory B cells
• What is the function of plasma cells?

  To make antibodies
• How long can memory B cells live in the body?

  For decades
• What happens when memory B cells encounter a familiar antigen?

  They rapidly differentiate into plasma cells
• What is the primary response in B cells?

  The first activation of B cells by an antigen
• What is active immunity?

  Immunity gained through exposure to a pathogen
• How does the antibody concentration change upon reinfection?

  It increases rapidly due to memory B cells
• What are antibodies classified as?

  Quaternary structure proteins
• How many polypeptide chains make up an antibody?

  Four polypeptide chains
• What is the variable region of an antibody?

  The part that changes shape to bind antigens
• What is the role of the constant region in antibodies?

  It remains the same and does not change
• What is agglutination in the context of antibodies?

  Binding of antibodies to antigens creating complexes
• How do antibodies help in pathogen destruction?

  By forming antigen-antibody complexes
• What is the advantage of agglutination?

  It makes it easier for phagocytes to engulf pathogens
• What is the summary of the humoral response involving B lymphocytes?

  • B lymphocytes respond to foreign antigens
  • Clonal selection creates plasma and memory cells
  • Plasma cells release antibodies
  • Memory cells remain in blood for decades
  • Memory cells can rapidly produce plasma cells upon re-encountering antigens
• What are the key features of antibodies?

  • Quaternary proteins made of four polypeptide chains
  • Variable region changes shape to bind antigens
  • Constant region remains unchanged
  • Involved in forming antigen-antibody complexes
• What is the process of clonal selection in B cells?

  1. B cells encounter antigens
  2. B cells undergo clonal expansion
  3. Differentiate into plasma and memory cells
  4. Plasma cells produce antibodies
  5. Memory cells remain for rapid response upon re-exposure
• How does the immune response change upon reinfection?

  • First exposure: slower antibody production
  • Memory B cells enable rapid antibody production
  • Antibodies can destroy pathogens before symptoms appear
• What is the role of memory B cells in immunity?

  • Live for decades in the body
  • Rapidly differentiate into plasma cells upon re-exposure
  • Enable quick production of antibodies
• What is the significance of the variable region in antibodies?

  • Unique shape for binding specific antigens
  • Determines the specificity of the antibody
• What is the importance of agglutination in the immune response?

  • Clumps pathogens together
  • Enhances phagocytosis efficiency
• What are the differences between plasma cells and memory B cells?

  • Plasma cells: short-lived, produce antibodies
  • Memory B cells: long-lived, can rapidly produce plasma cells