Memory B cells provide long-lasting true immunity, while plasma cells release antibodies after sensitization. Naturally acquired active immunity occurs through infection, and artificially acquired active immunity is through vaccination. Vaccination effectively prepares the immune system to quickly combat specific pathogens in future exposures.
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To answer the various parts of your question, let's break them down one by one:
Which cells are responsible for providing long-lasting true immunity?
Memory cells are primarily responsible for long-lasting immunity. They are a specialized type of B or T cells that remain in the body long after an infection has been cleared. These cells quickly respond to a previously encountered pathogen if it invades again.
Any cell, product, or protein with a code different from your own and recognized by your immune system as foreign is known as an ______.
An 'antigen' is any substance that triggers an immune response, usually by being recognized as foreign by the body's immune system.
Which cell makes and releases antibodies after being "sensitized"?
B cells, once they are sensitized or activated by an antigen, differentiate into plasma cells. These plasma cells are the ones that make and release antibodies specific to the antigen that sensitized the original B cell.
What is the most important part about B cells becoming sensitized against an antigen and learning how to make a specific antibody?
The critical part of B cells becoming sensitized is their ability to specifically recognize and bind to an antigen, leading to their activation. Once activated, these B cells produce antibodies that are specifically designed to target and neutralize that particular antigen.
Explain naturally acquired active immunity.
Naturally acquired active immunity occurs when you are exposed to a pathogen in the environment, and your immune system responds to it by developing antibodies and memory cells. This typically happens after an infection, like recovering from measles.
Explain artificially acquired active immunity.
This type of immunity is gained through vaccinations. Vaccines contain weakened or inactivated parts of a pathogen (antigens) or its products, which stimulate the immune system to produce an immune response, including the creation of memory cells, without causing the disease.
Which type of immunity is the most effective and longest-lasting?
Active immunity, whether natural or artificial, tends to be long-lasting. This is because the body creates memory cells that remember the specific antigens for future faster response.
Explain vaccination and how it affects immunity.
Vaccination is the process of administering a vaccine to stimulate an immune response in the body. Vaccines contain antigens that mimic a disease-causing organism, without causing the disease. When a person is vaccinated, the immune system is triggered to produce antibodies and memory cells that will recognize and attack the pathogen in the future, thus providing protection if the person is exposed to the disease later on.