Stages of Immune Response

Recognition Stage
y Recognition of antigens as foreign, or non-self, by the

immune system is the initiating event in any immune response. Recognition involves the use of lymph nodes and lymphocytes as surveillance. Lymph nodes are widely distributed internally throughout the body and in the circulating blood, as well as externally near the bodys surfaces. The exact way in which they recognize antigens on foreign surfaces is not known; however, recognition is thought to depend on specific receptor sites on the surface of the lymphocytes.

Proliferation Stage
y The circulating lymphocytes containing the antigenic

message return to the nearest lymph node. Once in the node, these sentisized lymphocytes stimulates some of the resident T and B lymphocytes to enlarge, divide, and proliferate. T lymphocytes differentiate into cytotoxic (or killer) T cells, whereas B lymphocytes produce and release antibodies.

Response Stage
y In the response stage, the differentiated lymphocytes function

in either a humoral or a cellular capacity. This stage begins with the production of antibodies by the B lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen. The cellular response stimulates the resident lymphocytes to become cells that attack the microbes directly rather than through the action of an antibodies. These transformed lymphocytes are known as cytotoxic (killer) T cells.

Effector Stage
y In the effector stage, either the antibody of the humoral

response of the cytotoxic (killer) T cell of the cellular response reaches and connects with the antigen on the surface of the foreign invader. This initiates activities involving interplay of antibodies (humoral immunity), complement, and action by the cytotoxic T cells (cellular immunity).