Primary & Secondary Response

• What is the primary immune response?

  The immune response after the body is exposed to a pathogen for the first time
• What may the person experience during the primary immune response?

  Symptoms of the disease
• Why is the primary immune response slow?

  The synthesis of antibodies & clonal selection & expansion of B/T cells take time
• Process of primary immune response:

  • Antibody concentration levels slow & increase gradually
  • Very few B cells are complementary to the pathogen's antigens
  • Takes time for B cells to differentiate into plasma cells & make antibodies
  • Some B cells divide into memory cells to provide immunity
• Process of Secondary Immune Response:

  • Antibody production is much quicker
  • Antibody concentration increases rapidly
  • B Memory cells recognise pathogen's antigens & divides into plasma cells
  • Plasma cells secrete a large amount of antibodies quickly
  • Memory T cells activate to divide into T Killer cells & destroy the pathogens
• How is the secondary immune response different from the primary?

  It is faster, starts earlier & produces more antibodies