Question

The activation of memory cells follows a similar pattern to that of the activation of naive cells. Which of the following below describes an advantage that memory cells confer upon their activation?

a. Memory cells will be much more sensitive to the recognition of the infecting pathogen.
b. There will be a greater number of naive cells than pathogen-specific memory cells.
c. Memory cells are observed to be much more easily activated than naive cells.
d. A & B
e. A & C

Answer 1

Memory cells are much more sensitive to the recognition of the infecting pathogen and are observed to be much more easily activated than naive cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

An advantage that memory cells confer upon their activation is that memory cells will be much more sensitive to the recognition of the infecting pathogen and are observed to be much more easily activated than naive cells.

The activation of memory cells follows a similar pattern to that of the activation of naive cells. During a primary immune response, both memory T cells and effector T cells are generated. Memory T cells are long-lived and can persist for a lifetime.

Memory cells are primed to act rapidly and can immediately become an effector cell on reexposure to the same pathogen. This means that upon reinfection, memory cells will differentiate into plasma cells or Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) without the need for input from antigen-presenting cells or helper T cells. This allows for a more rapid production of immune defenses and a stronger response to the infecting pathogen.