Question

Describe the graph of the primary and secondary response to an antigen by the human humoral (B cell-mediated) immune system; what is would the X-axis be labeled and what would the Y-axis labeled?

Answer 1

A schematic representation of the graph of primary and secondary immune response to an antigen by the human humoral immune system-

-In the graph, the X-axis represents time and the Y-axis represents concentration of antibody against the antigen.

The B-cell mediated immunity or humoral immune response mainly occurs through antibodies. Once a foreign antigen has been recognized, the immune system recruits a variety of cells and molecules to mount an appropriate response, called an effector response to eliminate or neutralize the antigen.

Later exposure to the same foreign antigen may induce a memory response (only in case of adaptive immunity) which is a more rapid and heightened immune response. Memory response or secondary immune response is quicker and stronger than the primary immune response and often more effective in neutralizing and clearing the pathogen.