(39) GCSE Biology Revision "Vaccination"

Vaccination

The introduction of small quantities of dead or inactive forms of a pathogen into the body to stimulate an immune response.

Antibodies

Proteins produced by white blood cells that specifically target and bind to pathogens to aid in their destruction.

White blood cells

Cells of the immune system that produce antibodies and help fight infections.

Herd immunity

A form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population becomes immune to the disease, making its spread unlikely.

Pathogen

An organism that causes disease, such as bacteria or viruses.

Mitosis

A process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, allowing white blood cells to multiply.

Immune response

The body's defense mechanism against pathogens, involving the activation of white blood cells and the production of antibodies.

Inactivated pathogen

A pathogen that has been killed or rendered inactive, used in vaccines to elicit an immune response without causing disease.

Real pathogen

The active form of a pathogen that can cause illness, as opposed to the inactivated form used in vaccines.

Immune memory

The ability of the immune system to recognize and respond rapidly to pathogens that it has encountered previously.