MCAT Biology : Immune and Lymphatic Systems

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Immune System

Where do the T-cells of the immune system mature into functional T-cells?

Possible Answers:

Thymus

Lymph nodes

Bone marrow

Spleen

Correct answer:

Thymus

Explanation:

T-cells are originally formed from stem cells in the bone marrow, however, T-cells, unlike B-cells, mature in the thymus. The thymus is a lymphoid organ located in the upper chest.

In contrast, B-cells are formed and mature in the bone marrow.

Example Question #31 : Immune And Lymphatic Systems

Which of the following is NOT an antigen presenting cell?

Possible Answers:

Dendritic cells

B-Cells

T-Cells

Macrophages

Correct answer:

T-Cells

Explanation:

This question asks which of the following is NOT an antigen presenting cell, therefore, any option that is an antigen presenting cell in the immune system is an INCORRECT answer.

During an immune response, the cells involved in antigen presentation are dendritic cells, macrophages, and B-cells. T-cells, then, must be the answer choice that is NOT an antigen presenting cell, and thus is the correct answer.

Example Question #9 : Types Of Immune System Cells

Most scientists subscribe to the theory of endosymbiosis to explain the presence of mitochondria in eukaryotic cells. According to the theory of endosymbiosis, early pre-eukaryotic cells phagocytosed free living prokaryotes, but failed to digest them. As a result, these prokaryotes remained in residence in the pre-eukaryotes, and continued to generate energy. The host cells were able to use this energy to gain a selective advantage over their competitors, and eventually the energy-producing prokaryotes became mitochondria.

In many ways, mitochondria are different from other cellular organelles, and these differences puzzled scientists for many years. The theory of endosymbiosis concisely explains a number of these observations about mitochondria. Perhaps most of all, the theory explains why aerobic metabolism is entirely limited to this one organelle, while other kinds of metabolism are more distributed in the cellular cytosol.

Some version of phagocytosis was likely the initial event that introduced a free-living prokaryote into the host described in the passage. Which of the following cells is most commonly associated with phagocytosis?

Possible Answers:

Neuron

Myocyte

Lymphocyte

Endothelial cell

Neutrophil

Correct answer:

Neutrophil

Explanation:

Neutrophils are professional phagocytes of the immune system. They prevent infection by phagocytosing potential invaders.

Note, however, that neutrophils could not have been the initial cell type to phagocytose a free-living prokaryote. Neutrophils are eukaryotic, and evolved long after endosymbiosis first occurred. They are, however, still closely linked to phagocytosis in humans.

Example Question #32 : Immune And Lymphatic Systems

Which of the following are NOT involved in cell-mediated immunity?

Possible Answers:

Cytotoxic T-cells

Macrophages

Helper T-cells

Neutrophils

B-cells

Correct answer:

B-cells

Explanation:

Cell-mediated immunity involves the response of specific cells toward an invading pathogen or organism. This is in contrast to humoral, or antibody-mediated immunity. Both of these are types of adaptive immunity, however, cell-mediated immunity involves the initial identificaiton of an unknown pathogen, while humoral immunity requires prior exposure to the antigen.

B-cells secrete antibodies and are the main actor in humoral immunity; they do not participate directly in cell-mediated immunity. Cytotoxic T-cells are activated by helper T-cells to recognize and destroy infected cells in the body. The process also involves cytokines which recruit neutrophils to digest the infected cell or microbes.

Example Question #12 : Immune System

One component of the immune system is the neutrophil, a professional phagocyte that consumes invading cells. The neutrophil is ferried to the site of infection via the blood as pre-neutrophils, or monocytes, ready to differentiate as needed to defend their host.

In order to leave the blood and migrate to the tissues, where infection is active, the monocyte undergoes a process called diapedesis. Diapedesis is a process of extravasation, where the monocyte leaves the circulation by moving in between endothelial cells, enters the tissue, and matures into a neutrophil.

Diapedesis is mediated by a class of proteins called selectins, present on the monocyte membrane and the endothelium. These selectins interact, attract the monocyte to the endothelium, and allow the monocytes to roll along the endothelium until they are able to complete diapedesis by leaving the vasculature and entering the tissues.

The image below shows monocytes moving in the blood vessel, "rolling" along the vessel wall, and eventually leaving the vessel to migrate to the site of infection.

 

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Macrophages, similar to neutrophils, are another professional phagocyte, and a type of antigen-presenting cell. Antigen-presenting cells digest invaders, and then present their foreign proteins to B-cells and T-cells for further immune response. Which of the following is true of antigen-presenting cells?

I.  They present their antigens on major histocompatibility complex molecules.

II.  They migrate to lymph nodes to present their antigens to B-cells and T-cells.

III.  Antigen-presenting cells form a link between the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Possible Answers:

I and II

I, II, and III

II and III

I, only

I and III

Correct answer:

I, II, and III

Explanation:

Antigen-presenting cells do all of these functions, thus working to stimulate an adaptive response in regional lymph nodes.

Histocompatibility complex molecules, or MHCs, are keys for carrying antigens and developing antibodies. Once antigen-presenting cells encounter an antigen, they will bind it and carry it to the lymph nodes to activate the adaptive immune response, or to establish cellular memory of a new foreign antigen.

Example Question #11 : Immune System

Where in the human body do T-Cells mature?

Possible Answers:

Lymph

Bone marrow

Blood

Thymus

Correct answer:

Thymus

Explanation:

T-cells and B-cells are derived from stem cells that originate in the bone marrow. B-cells continue to mature in the bone marrow; however, T-cells mature in the thymus. Once they are mature, they travel through the blood and reside in the lymph.

Example Question #12 : Types Of Immune System Cells

Cell-mediated immunity involves the action of which of the following cells?

Possible Answers:

Neutrophils

Cytotoxic T-cells

Plasma cells

B-lymphocytes

Correct answer:

Cytotoxic T-cells

Explanation:

Cell-mediated immunity involves all of the differentiated forms of T-lymphocytes. Cytotoxic T-cells (also called killer T-cells) are antigen-specific, and responsible for the destruction of infected cells bearing the given antigen.

Plasma cells and B-cells are part of humoral (antibody) immunity, while neutrophils play an important role in the innate immune response.

Example Question #13 : Types Of Immune System Cells

Which answer choice correctly matches the cell type with its progenitor cell?

Possible Answers:
Lymphocytes are derived from erythrocytes
Erythrocytes are derived from lymphocytes

Plasma cells are derived from B-cells

Mast cells are derived from monocytes

Dendritic cells are derived from T-cells

Correct answer:

Plasma cells are derived from B-cells

Explanation:

When an antigen is presented to a B-cell, it can develop the ability to produce antibodies against that specific antigen. Once the B-cell gains this ability, it is a plasma cell.

T-cells, B-cells, and dendritic cells are derived from lymphoid progenitor stem cells. Together, the group of cells derived from this cell type is known as the lymphocytes. Mast cells, erythrocytes, and monocytes are derived from myeloid progenitor stem cells. Macrophages are derived from monocytes.

Example Question #14 : Types Of Immune System Cells

Which of the following cells is NOT a lymphocyte?

Possible Answers:

Natural killer cell

Neutrophil

Plasma cell

Cytotoxic T-cell

Helper T-cell

Correct answer:

Neutrophil

Explanation:

Blood cells can be broken into two main categories based on their originating stem cells. Myeloid progenitor cells are the source of erythrocytes and most granulocytes. Lymphoid progenitor cells give rise to lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes are mostly involved in the adaptive immune response, and include dendritic cells, T-cells, B-cells, and the derivatives of these cells, such as plasma cells and memory cells. Natural killer cells, however, are granulocytes that are involved in the innate immune response, but are still derived from lymphoid progenitor cells. Natural killer cells are thus lymphocytes as well.

Neutrophils are granulocytes involved in the innate immune response, and are generated from myeloid progenitor cells; neutrophils are not lymphocytes.

Example Question #15 : Immune System

The thymus is responsible for producing which of the following immune cells?

Possible Answers:

Granulocytes

T-cells

Macrophages

B-cells

Correct answer:

T-cells

Explanation:

The thymus is responsible for the maturation of T-cells. The thymus, a gland centered in the chest, allows T-cells to be tested against a "self-antigen." If the T-cell does not react against the self-antigen, it is allowed to leave the thymus and enter into circulation to detect foreign antigens. If the T-cell does react to the self-antigen, it is generally destroyed. Failure to destroy these T-cells can result in autoimmune attacks. Upon detection of foreign antigens, mature T-cells differentiate into a variety of other T-cell types and stimulate B-cells to produce antibodies.

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