B Cell Immunity

A description of B Cell immunity

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Role of B cells

  • It is known as humoral immunity because it involves antibodies
  • When an antigen (e.g a protein on the surface of a pathogen cell), there would be a B cell that is complementary
  • Most pathogens have more than one proteins on its surface, requiring more than one type of B cell
  • Bacterium can also release toxins, which can act as antigens, requiring more variated antibodies
  • Plasma Cells secrete antibodies directly. These only last a few days, but make 2000 antibodies a second.
  • These antibodies destroy antigens directly, this means that plasma cells are responsible for primary response
  • Memory Cells, can live for decades, floating around in blood plasma. When they encounter a recognizable antigen, they divide rapidly, eventually turning into plasma cells
  • This is known as Secondary Immune Response
  • Secondary response is a lot faster and greater intensity
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How B Cell immunity takes place

  • The surface antigens that are present on the pathogens are taken up by B Cells
  • The B cells process these antigens and present them on there surface
  • T cells then attach to the processed antigen, activating the B cell
  • The activated B cells then miotically divide to give a clone of the plasma cells
  • The cloned plasma cells then produce antibodies that are complimentary to the antigens present of the pathogen
  • The antibodies attach to the presented antigen and destroy it. This is primary response.
  • Antigenic Variability is where one pathogen can change the antigen that is presented, for example, influenza
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Comments

Diksha

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Thank you! I always get sooo confused about what happens. Good luck

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