immune system 3

Question 1

Blood types

Answer 1

All red blood cells have antigen H on their surface. N-acetylgalactosamine is added to antigen H to create blood group A. Galactose is added to antigen H to create blood group B. Group A individuals have anti-B antibodies and group B individuals have anti-A antibodies.

Question 2

Agglutination

Answer 2

Agglutination is the clumping of a liquid. If an individual with blood group A receives blood type B during a transfusion, anti-B antibodies will be produced and agglutination will occur.

Question 3

Primary immune response

Answer 3

The primary immune response is initiated during the body’s first encounter with a pathogen. During this, memory cells are produced to ensure your body responds quicker if presented with the same pathogen again.

Question 4

Secondary immune response

Answer 4

The secondary immune response is initiated during the body’s second ecounter with a pathogen. During this, memory cells divide by mitosis to form clones of plasma and memory cells.

Question 5

Vaccinations

Answer 5

Vaccinations inject a weakened form of the pathogen into the body to ensure primary immunity is triggered, but the disease is not contracted.

Question 6

Zoonosis

Answer 6

Zoonosis is the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. Examples of a zoonotic disease are Ebola virus, bubonic plague, and COVID-19.

Question 7

Epidemiology

Answer 7

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution, patterns, and causes of disease in a population. Epidemiology helps make predictions about preventative measures that can be taken to stop disease, for example vaccination programs which help contain diseases.

Question 8

Histamine and antihistamine

Answer 8

Histamine is produced by white blood cells (basophils and mast cells). Its function is to dilate and increase permeability of capillaries. This enables white blood cells to invade infected tissues and engage allergens in the form of itchiness, swelling, and sneezing, for example. Antihistamines are drugs that inhibit the action of histamines by blocking histamine’s receptors.

Question 9

Monoclonal antibodies

Answer 9

Monoclonal antibodies are clones of your body’s antibodies that are made in a laboratory. They recognize and bind to one specific region of the antigen, the epitope.

Question 10

How are monoclonal antibodies used to test for pregnancy?

Answer 10

Home pregnancy tests work by monoclonal antibodies binding to the HCG hormone. If HCG is present, it will bind to the monoclonal antibodies while traveling up the stick and it’ll form the blue line, indicating a positive result.