Humoral immunity

• Once B-lymphocytes mature, each type of B lymphocyte cell can make one type of antibody molecule.
• The primary immune response: the production of antibodies and memory cells
• Primary immune response:

  • The antigen enters the body and the B-lymphocyte binds to it (clonal selection)
  • The specific B-lymphocytes divide by mitosis (colonial expansion) and differentiate into plasma cells and memory cells
• Secondary immune response:

  • memory cells are responsible for the secondary immune response
  • when they encounter the same antigen at a later date they divide rapidly into plasma cells and more memory cells
  • the plasma cells produce antibodies and memory cells circulate ready for future infection
  • this provides long-term immunity against the original infection