Question

what T cells are not specific?

What are the two major components of adaptive immunity?

What immunity occurs when one has been ill? Passive or Active?

Answer 1

Hi,
There are 3 types of T cells, T heler, T cytottoxic and T natural killer. T natural killer is the only type of T cell which in non specific. T natural killer (NKT) circulate in the blood and detect the foreign particles and destroy them using chemical excretions.
The immune system can be broadly classfied into 2 main catagories: 1. innate immunity 2. Adaptive immunity. The 2 major components of adative immunity are T cells and B cells.
The T cells are of 3 types T helper, T cytotoxic and T NK.
The B cells produce antibodies which help in eliminating the pathogen from the body. The T cells can themself kill a pathogen (T cytotoxic), can help activating the B cells (T helper) or can work non specifically to inactivate any foreign antigen (T NK). The B cell produces antibodies which kill the pathogen and also imparts immunological memory ( vaccines).

When someone falls ill, the body responds actively by producing T cells, B cells(antibodies) and many other components of immune system. Hence it is the active immunity, which occurs when we are ill.
The passive immunity is transfer of immunity from one person to another via blood transfusion or vaccination. This immediate but temporary immunity.