Adaptive immune response

Specificity

the ability to recognise and respond to specific antigens, cells have unique receptors that recognise specific antigens

Immunological memory

ability to remember antigens after primary exposure, enables more rapid and stronger response in case of future reinfection

Humoral immunity

actions of antibodies that identify and bind to extracellular pathogens, to toxins and other extracellular foreign antigens, produced by B cells

Cell-mediated imunity

actions of T cells, cytotoxic T cells eliminate body cells that are infected by pathogens or have abnormal or missing self markers, eliminating intracellular pathogens

B lymphocytes

mature in bone marrow, activated by exposure to antigen

B plasma cells

produce antibodies against extracellular antigens

Memory B cells

retain memory of antigens met previously

T lymphocytes

mature in thymus then migrate to lymph node, activated by exposure to antigen presented to them

cytotoxic T cells

eliminate infected and abnormal cells

Memory T cells

retain memory of antigens met previously