High School Biology : Understanding Innate Immunity
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Immune System
Which of the following is not considered a part of the innate immune response?
The skin
Antibodies
Stomach acid
Phagocytic cells
Antibodies
Innate immunity is defined as the general protection mechanisms from pathogens. Innate immunity will be present even when the body has not seen a specific pathogen. Antibodies are highly specific for one particular antigen, and only develop in the body after previous exposure to a pathogen. As a result, it is not considered innate. Instead, antibodies are considered a hallmark of adaptive immunity.
Physical barriers (like the skin), chemical barriers (like stomach acid), and non-specific immune cells (like phagocytes) help to protect against all pathogens, regardless of the type of pathogen or previous exposure.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Innate Immunity
Which type of immunity is not pathogen-specific and does not create memory cells?
Innate immunity
Humoral immunity
Acquired immunity
Cell-mediated immunity
Active immunity
Innate immunity
Innate immunity is non-specific immunity linked to general defenses in the body. These immune defenses include inflammation and phagocytosis, which are not determined by the specific responses of B- or T-lymphocytes. Physical barriers, such as tight junctions in the skin and the acidity of the stomach and vaginal canal, also act as innate immune mechanisms.
Acquired and active immunity only result from a prior exposure to an antigen. Antibodies are produced by B-cells. Cell-mediated immunity involves the regulatory and cytotoxic activites of T-cells during the specific immune response. Humoral immunity is the term used to describe the protective activities of antibodies against infection by common microorganisms.
Example Question #3 : Understanding Innate Immunity
Which of the following is NOT an aspect of the innate immune system?
Enzymes in sweat, tears, and saliva that kill bacteria
Antibodies in the blood
Skin
Stomach acid
Mucous
Antibodies in the blood
The innate immune system is a general defense against infections. Antibodies are very specific to the type of infection they can fight. Thus antibodies are considered specific defense.
Example Question #834 : High School Biology
Which of the following is not a part of the innate (non-specific) immune system?
Mucus
Natural killer cells
Leukocytes
Lymphocytes
Skin
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are part of the adaptive (specific) immune system, which monitors and dispatches in response to specific threats. The adaptive immune response utilizes antibody secretions from B-lymphocytes to target specific pathogens for elimination.
In contrast, the innate immune system is largely designed to prevent entry and propagation of non-specific pathogens. It is composed of barriers (such as skin and mucus linings) as well as non-specific immune cells (such as macrophages and natural killer cells).
Example Question #838 : High School Biology
Which of the following is NOT a part of innate immunity?
Lymphocytes that destroy known threats to the body
The skin, which helps keep diseases out of the body
Immune "memory" which allows the body to recognize threats again in the future
Mast cells that produce a response to infection or injury
Immune "memory" which allows the body to recognize threats again in the future
The innate immune system is the part of your immune system that responds to threats almost immediately. It contains all the aspects which react to all threats and is generally seen as less complex than the adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system includes aspects that respond to specific threats and develop memory to fight threats later on.
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