Question
specific immune response; Bind and kill infected cells; specialized to respond to a specific antigen
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The specific immune response you're referring to is primarily mediated by **T cells**, particularly **Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+ T cells)**. These specialized cells play a critical role in recognizing and eliminating infected cells that present specific antigens.
Here's a brief overview of how this process works:
### 1. Recognition of Antigens:
- **Antigen Presentation:** Infected cells display viral or bacterial antigens on their surface through molecules known as Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class I.
- **T Cell Activation:** Cytotoxic T cells recognize these specific antigens via their T-cell receptor (TCR). Activation typically requires co-stimulatory signals from antigen-presenting cells (APCs).
### 2. Bind and Kill Mechanism:
- **Binding:** After recognizing the specific antigen, the Cytotoxic T cells bind to the infected cells.
- **Killing Infected Cells:** Once bound, the Cytotoxic T cells release cytotoxic granules containing perforin and granzymes:
- **Perforin:** Forms pores in the target cell membrane, allowing granzymes (serine proteases) to enter.
- **Granzymes:** Induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the infected cell, effectively killing it and preventing the spread of the infection.
### 3. Memory Formation:
- After an infection is cleared, some Cytotoxic T cells differentiate into memory T cells, providing long-lasting immunity against future infections with the same antigen.
This specific immune response is vital for controlling viral infections and tumors, making it a key component of adaptive immunity.
Here's a brief overview of how this process works:
### 1. Recognition of Antigens:
- **Antigen Presentation:** Infected cells display viral or bacterial antigens on their surface through molecules known as Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class I.
- **T Cell Activation:** Cytotoxic T cells recognize these specific antigens via their T-cell receptor (TCR). Activation typically requires co-stimulatory signals from antigen-presenting cells (APCs).
### 2. Bind and Kill Mechanism:
- **Binding:** After recognizing the specific antigen, the Cytotoxic T cells bind to the infected cells.
- **Killing Infected Cells:** Once bound, the Cytotoxic T cells release cytotoxic granules containing perforin and granzymes:
- **Perforin:** Forms pores in the target cell membrane, allowing granzymes (serine proteases) to enter.
- **Granzymes:** Induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the infected cell, effectively killing it and preventing the spread of the infection.
### 3. Memory Formation:
- After an infection is cleared, some Cytotoxic T cells differentiate into memory T cells, providing long-lasting immunity against future infections with the same antigen.
This specific immune response is vital for controlling viral infections and tumors, making it a key component of adaptive immunity.