The Humoral Response and B Lymphocytes
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Questions and Answers

What is the origin of B lymphocytes?

  • Thymus
  • Liver
  • Spleen
  • Bone marrow (correct)

    • What is the function of the proteins on the surface of B cells?

  • They act as receptors for antigens (correct)
  • They help in cell division
  • They aid in cell signaling
  • They provide structural support

    • What is another name for antibodies?

  • Cytokines
  • Antigens
  • Immunoglobulins (correct)
  • Immunoproteins

    • How many proteins are present on the surface of a B cell?

    <p>Close to 10,000</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of antibodies are present on the surface of B cells?

    <p>Membrane-bound antibodies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is unique about the membrane-bound antibodies on a B cell?

    <p>They are all different</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the organ where B cells originate, leading to the 'B' in B cells?

    <p>Bursa of Fabricius</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many separate proteins make up the membrane-bound antibody complex on a B cell?

    <p>4</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between the antibodies on the surface of one B cell and another B cell?

    <p>Their variable portions are different.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do B cells have a lot of shuffling of the portion of their DNA that codes for the variable portions?

    <p>To intentionally create diversity in the variable portions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of having so many different combinations of variable portions on B cells?

    <p>To be able to respond to any potential pathogen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when a B cell binds to a foreign pathogen?

    <p>It produces more antibodies with the same variable portion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an epitope?

    <p>A part of a foreign protein that an antibody binds to.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important for the immune system to have B cells with many different combinations of variable portions?

    <p>So that it can respond to any potential pathogen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the DNA of B cells during their development?

    <p>It is intentionally reshuffled.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main advantage of having many different B cells with different variable portions?

    <p>It allows the immune system to respond to any potential pathogen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the variable portion of an antibody?

    <p>To bind to a specific part of a pathogen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many different combinations of variable portions are possible?

    <p>10^10</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one way that antibodies can make it harder for viruses to function?

    <p>By forming a complex with multiple viruses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the variable portion on each antibody?

    <p>To bond to the epitope on a virus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of antibodies binding to multiple viruses?

    <p>The viruses are less infectious and can be easily recognized by phagocytes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are antibodies effective against a wide range of pathogens?

    <p>Because they can recognize a wide range of epitopes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process by which phagocytes recognize and engulf antibody-bound pathogens?

    <p>Opsonization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a challenge that remains to be solved in the field of immunology?

    <p>Eliminating cancer cells that have infiltrated normal tissues</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the B cells that respond to the body's own cells?

    <p>They are eliminated or 'weeded out'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of effector cells?

    <p>To produce antibodies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of opsonization?

    <p>To mark pathogens for phagocytosis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the number of B cells with the perfect receptor after the initial response?

    <p>It increases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do B cells need help from helper T cells to become activated?

    <p>Because it's a fail-safe mechanism to prevent autoimmune responses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of memory cells?

    <p>To remain in the body and respond to future infections</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many antibodies can an activated effector cell produce per second?

    <p>2,000</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of the humoral response?

    <p>The presence of many antibodies in the body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the immune system's 'weeding out' process?

    <p>To prevent autoimmune responses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between the number of possible B cell combinations and the actual number of B cells?

    <p>The actual number is smaller</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Humoral Response and B Lymphocytes (B Cells)

    • B cells are a subset of white blood cells called lymphocytes that come from the bone marrow.
    • Each B cell has approximately 10,000 proteins on its surface, known as membrane-bound antibodies or immunoglobulins.
    • These membrane-bound antibodies are protein complexes with four separate proteins and have a variable part that can take on many different forms.

    Diversity of B Cells and Antibodies

    • Each B cell has a unique combination of membrane-bound antibodies with the same variable portion.
    • There are approximately 10 billion different combinations of variable portions possible.
    • The diversity of B cells arises from intentional reshuffling of the DNA that codes for the variable portions during B cell development.

    Role of B Cells in Immune Response

    • B cells can recognize and bind to specific pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, through their membrane-bound antibodies.
    • When a B cell binds to a pathogen, it becomes activated and starts cloning itself, producing multiple versions of itself.
    • Activated B cells can differentiate into two forms: memory cells and effector cells.
    • Memory cells stick around for a long time, allowing for a faster response to future infections.
    • Effector cells, also known as plasma cells, produce large quantities of antibodies that can bind to specific pathogens.

    Antibodies and Immune Response

    • Antibodies are proteins produced by effector cells that can bind to specific pathogens.
    • Antibodies can tag pathogens for pickup by phagocytes, making it easier for them to be removed from the body (opsonization).
    • Antibodies can also make it harder for pathogens to function and infiltrate cells.
    • Each antibody has two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains, with a specific variable portion that can bond to epitopes on pathogens.

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    Description

    Learn about the humoral response, which involves B lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. B cells have thousands of proteins on their surface and originate from the bone marrow.

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