The Rapid Increase in Adaptive Immunity After a Second Antigen

Question

The rapid increase in adaptive immunity after a second antigen exposure is called
A) immune memory.
B) specificity.
C) tolerance.
D) immune memory, specificity, or tolerance.

Accepted Answer

Immune memory refers to the ability of the immune system to remember a previous encounter with an antigen and rapidly respond to it upon re-exposure. This results in a faster and more efficient immune response, which is the basis of vaccination. Therefore, the rapid increase in adaptive immunity after a second antigen exposure is referred to as immune memory. Choices B and C are not accurate descriptions of this phenomenon.