17 flashcards · Shared on 19 August 2026 by AtomAI Library
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Which feature most clearly distinguishes the adaptive immune response from the innate immune response?
It produces pathogen-specific responses and immunological memory
Which feature most clearly distinguishes the adaptive immune response from the innate immune response?
It produces pathogen-specific responses and immunological memory
What is an important role of intact skin in immunity?
It acts as a physical barrier that prevents pathogens from entering
What is phagocytosis?
The engulfment and digestion of particles or microbes by a cell
In an immune response, what is an antigen?
A molecule recognized by specific antibodies or immune-cell receptors
Which cells develop into plasma cells that secrete antibodies?
B lymphocytes
How can antibodies help eliminate a pathogen?
They bind specific antigens and may neutralize the pathogen or mark it for destruction
What is a major function of helper T cells?
Coordinating immune responses by activating other immune cells
Cytotoxic T cells mainly protect the body by doing what?
Destroying infected or abnormal body cells
What are memory cells?
Long-lived lymphocytes that respond rapidly after later exposure to the same antigen
How does vaccination usually produce protection against a disease?
It stimulates an adaptive response and the formation of memory cells without causing the full disease
Why is the secondary immune response usually faster than the primary response to the same antigen?
Memory cells formed during the first response can react quickly
What is the purpose of a vaccine booster dose?
To strengthen or restore immune protection by exposing the immune system to the antigen again
What do mRNA vaccines provide to body cells?
Instructions for making a pathogen antigen that triggers an immune response
What is an inactivated vaccine?
A vaccine containing a killed pathogen that cannot replicate
How can high vaccination coverage help protect people who are not immune?
It reduces opportunities for the pathogen to spread through the population
Which statement describes passive immunity?
Protection provided by receiving antibodies made by another individual or organism
What is the role of an adjuvant in some vaccines?
It enhances the immune response to the vaccine antigen