Which of the Following Statements Concerning Plasma Cells is FALSE

Question

Which of the following statements concerning plasma cells is FALSE?
A) They live for many years and function as memory cells.
B) They are descended from activated B cells.
C) They can produce large quantities of antibodies on a daily basis.
D) They secrete a single type of antibody molecule specific for a single epitope.
E) The antibodies they produce can remain in circulation for weeks.

Accepted Answer

Plasma cells do not function as memory cells and do not live for many years. Instead, they are short-lived cells that are dedicated to producing and secreting antibodies. Memory cells, on the other hand, are long-lived cells that are responsible for retaining a memory of a previous infection and quickly producing antibodies upon subsequent exposure to the same pathogen.