10: Adaptive Immunity

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The adaptive immune system is a subsystem of the overall immune system that is composed of highly specialized, systemic cells and processes that eliminate or prevent pathogen growth. Adaptive immunity creates immunological memory after an initial response to a specific pathogen, and leads to an enhanced response to subsequent encounters with that pathogen. This process of acquired immunity is the basis of vaccination.

10.1: Immunodeficiency
Immunodeficiency results in an inability to combat certain diseases and may be of two types: primary or secondary. Primary immunodeficiency is usually an immunodeficiency that one is born with. In the case of secondary immunodeficiency, one is born with normal immune responses but some secondary factor or occurrence causes a decrease in immune responses.
- 10.1.E: Immunodeficiency (Exercises)
10.2: Hypersensitivities
When the immune systems cause harm to the body, it is referred to as a hypersensitivity. There are two categories of adaptive hypersensitivities: immediate hypersensitivity and delayed hypersensitivity. Immediate hypersensitivities refer to humoral immunity (antigen/antibody reactions) causing harm. Delayed hypersensitivities refer to cell-mediated immunity (cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, macrophages, and cytokines) causing harm.
- 10.2.E: Hypersensitivities (Exercises)
10.3: Introduction to Adaptive Immunity
Adaptive (acquired) immunity refers to antigen-specific defense mechanisms that take several days to become protective and are designed to react with and remove a specific antigen. There are two major branches of the adaptive immune responses: humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity. Humoral immunity involves the production of antibodies and cell-mediated immunity involves the production of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, activated macrophages, activated NK cells, and cytokines.
10.4: Humoral Immunity
Humoral Immunity refers to the production of antibody molecules in response to an antigen. These antibody molecules circulate in the plasma of the blood and enter tissue and organs via the inflammatory response. Humoral immunity is most effective microbes or their toxins located in the extracellular spaces of the body. Antibodies or immunoglobulins are specific glycoprotein configurations produced by B-lymphocytes and plasma cells in response to a specific antigen that react with that antigen.
10.5: Cell-Mediated Immunity
Cell mediated immunity is an immune response that does not involve antibodies, but rather involves the activation of phagocytes, antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to an antigen. Cellular immunity protects the body by (1) Activating antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, (2) Activating macrophages and NK cells, and (3) Stimulating cells to secrete a variety of cytokines.