Biology Test Immunology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between innate and adaptive immunity?
- Innate is non-specific and immediate; adaptive is specific and develops over time (Correct answer)
- Innate develops slowly; adaptive is immediate
- They are the same system with different names
- Innate fights viruses only; adaptive fights bacteria only
Correct answer: Innate is non-specific and immediate; adaptive is specific and develops over time
Innate immunity provides immediate, non-specific defense (skin barriers, phagocytes, inflammation), while adaptive immunity develops targeted responses to specific pathogens through antibodies and memory cells.
Question 2: Which type of white blood cell produces antibodies?
- B lymphocytes (B cells) (Correct answer)
- T lymphocytes (T cells)
- Neutrophils
- Macrophages
Correct answer: B lymphocytes (B cells)
B cells differentiate into plasma cells that produce antibodies (immunoglobulins) specific to particular antigens, providing humoral immunity.
Question 3: What is the function of helper T cells?
- To coordinate the immune response by activating other immune cells (Correct answer)
- To directly kill infected cells
- To produce antibodies
- To engulf pathogens
Correct answer: To coordinate the immune response by activating other immune cells
Helper T cells (CD4+) play a central coordinating role by releasing cytokines that activate B cells, cytotoxic T cells, and macrophages, orchestrating the adaptive immune response.
Question 4: What is an antigen?
- A molecule that triggers an immune response (Correct answer)
- A type of antibody
- A white blood cell
- A type of vaccine
Correct answer: A molecule that triggers an immune response
An antigen is any molecule (usually a protein on the surface of a pathogen) that can be recognized by the immune system and trigger an immune response, including antibody production.
Question 5: How do vaccines work?
- By exposing the immune system to weakened or inactive pathogens to build memory (Correct answer)
- By killing all pathogens in the body
- By strengthening the skin barrier
- By increasing white blood cell count permanently
Correct answer: By exposing the immune system to weakened or inactive pathogens to build memory
Vaccines introduce harmless forms of a pathogen (weakened, killed, or parts of it), stimulating the adaptive immune system to produce memory cells that provide rapid protection upon future exposure.
Question 6: What is autoimmunity?
- When the immune system attacks the body's own tissues (Correct answer)
- When the immune system is too strong
- When immunity is passed from mother to child
- When antibiotics cause immune reactions
Correct answer: When the immune system attacks the body's own tissues
Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system fails to distinguish self from non-self and mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy cells and tissues, leading to autoimmune diseases.
Biology Test Immunology 1
What is the difference between innate and adaptive immunity?