Name: Ang, Romar Cristian F.

Date: August 23, 2022

Course, year, and section: BS BIO 4B

Study Questions:

1. Indicate to which branch(es) of the immune system the following statements apply, using H
for the humoral branch and CM for the cell-mediated branch. Some statements may apply to
both branches (B).

a. Involves B cells (H)

b. Involves T cells (CM)
c. Responds to extracellular bacterial infection (H)
d. Involves secreted antibody (H)
e. Kills virus-infected self-cells (B)

2. Adaptive immunity exhibits several characteristic attributes, which are mediated by

lymphocytes. List four attributes of adaptive immunity and briefly explain how they arise.

a. Specificity – This property of the immune system permits it to distinguish among

different and even closely related molecules. The antibody, an effector molecule of
adaptive immunity, can distinguish between two protein molecules that differ in only a
single amino acid.
b. Diversity – Adaptive immunity is capable of generating tremendous diversity in its
recognition of molecules, allowing it to recognize billions of uniquely different structures
on foreign antigens. It is due to the variability in the structures of the antigen-binding
sites of lymphocyte receptors for antigens.
c. Immunologic memory – One of the most important characteristics of adaptive immunity
is the ability to remember and respond more vigorously to repeated exposures to the same
antigen. Responses to second and subsequent exposures to the same antigen are called
secondary immune responses.
d. Specialization - The adaptive immune system responds in distinct and special ways to
different microbes, thus maximizing the efficiency of antimicrobial defense mechanisms.
 Adaptive immunity is elicited by different classes of microbes or by the same microbe at
different stages of infection and each type of immune response protects the host against
that class of microbe.

3. Name three features of a secondary immune response that distinguish it from a primary
immune response.

 Types of Antibodies
Primary Immune Response: A large amount of IgM and a small amount of IgG are
produced during the primary immune response.
Secondary Immune Response: A large amount of IgG, a small amount of IgM, IgA,
and IgE are produced during the secondary immune response.
 Amount of Antibody
Primary Immune Response: Generally, only a few antibodies are produced in the
primary immune response.
Secondary Immune Response: 100-1000 times more antibodies are produced in the
secondary immune response.
 Responding Cells
Primary Immune Response: Naive B cells and T cells respond to the antigens during
the primary immune response.
Secondary Immune Response: Memory B cells respond to the antigens during the
secondary immune response.

4. Give examples of mild and severe consequences of immune dysfunction. What is the most
common cause of immunodeficiency throughout the world today?

A mild example caused by immune dysfunction is fever, bronchitis, and meningitis due to a
weak immune response upon invading pathogens. On the other hand, severe consequences
caused by immune dysfunction can lead to HIV. This is due to malnutrition and some
environmental factors which are considered to be the most common cause of
immunodeficiency throughout the world today.
5. For each of the following statements, indicate whether the statement is true or false. If you
think the statement is false, explain why.

a. Booster shots are required because repeated exposure to an antigen builds a stronger
immune response. (True)
b. The gene for the T cell receptor must be cut and spliced together before it can be
expressed. (True)
c. Our bodies face the greatest onslaught from foreign invaders through our skin. (False,
this is because the first line of defense is not only limited through our skin but
some invaders must still pass through the mucosa in order to successfully infect
the host)
d. Increased production of antibodies in the immune system is driven by the presence of
antigen. (True)
e. Innate immunity is deployed only during the primary response, and adaptive
immunity begins during a secondary response. (False, because during the primary
response, both adaptive and immunity works together to eliminate the pathogens
and adaptive immunity also occurs during primary response.)
f. Autoimmunity and immunodeficiency are two different terms for the same set of
general disorders. (False – Autoimmunity occurs when the immune cells are
incapable of distinguishing between non-self and self-cells that causes the host
cell to become the target and one example is a disease called ulceritis colitis. On
the other hand, immunodeficiency occurs when the immune system is too weak
to target the invading cells and one example is the Asplenia.)
g. If you receive intravenous immunoglobulin to treat a snakebite, you will be protected
from the venom of this snake in the future, but not venom from other types of snakes.
(False, because intravenous of immunoglobulin to treat a snakebite is an
example of passive immunity which cannot last for too long)
h. Innate and adaptive immunity work collaboratively to mount an immune response
against pathogens. (True)
i. The genomic sequences in our circulating T cells for encoding a T-cell receptor are
the same as those our parents carry in their T cells. (False, because during T-cell
 development in the thymus, the genes encoding T-cell receptors are rearranged
and altered, resulting in a unique T-cell receptor gene sequence carried by each
adult T cell.)
j. Both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune response will be capable of
responding more efficiently during a secondary response (True).