Asked by Molly Parker on Jun 09, 2024

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Identify the following as participants in either specific or nonspecific immune responses, and provide a one-sentence explanation of the function or role of each one.
A. Macrophages
B. Natural killer cells
C. Memory cells

Macrophages

Macrophages are a type of white blood cell part of the immune system that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells in a process called phagocytosis.

Natural Killer Cells

A type of lymphocyte (white blood cell) that plays a crucial role in the body's innate immune response by attacking cells infected with viruses or transformed by cancer.

Memory Cells

Immune cells that are formed following an initial immune response and remain in the body, ready to mount a faster and more effective response upon re-exposure to the same antigen.

  • Discern and detail the roles played by various immune cells and molecules in the context of the immune response.
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ZK
Zybrea KnightJun 09, 2024
Final Answer :
A. Macrophages participate in nonspecific immune responses through phagocytosis of pathogens that have pathogen-associated molecular patterns on their cell surface.
B. Natural killer cells participate in nonspecific immune responses by destroying tumor cells with abnormal MHC I displayed on the cell membrane.
C. Memory cells are specific T or B cells generated by previous exposure to specific antigens.