Question

Identify the wrong option related to the features of acquired immunity.

• A. Specificity
• B. Diversity
• C. No discrimination between self and non self-antigens
• D. Memory

Answer 1

The correct option is C No discrimination between self and non self-antigens

Acquired immunity is the resistance to infections that an individual acquires during his life. For example, children develop immunity against poliomyelitis after taking the oral polio vaccine.

Acquired immunity has the following features:

• Specificity: It is the ability to differentiate among the various foreign molecules.
• Diversity: It is the ability to recognize a vast variety of foreign molecules.
• Discrimination between self and non self : The body is able to recognise and respond to foreign molecules (non self antigens) and does not respond to the molecules present within the body (self antigens or markers) due to the acquired immunity. .
• Memory: When the immune system encounters an antigen, it generates an immune response and eliminates the antigen. The immune system retains this memory and a second encounter with the same antigen results in high immune response.

Hence, option (a), (b) and (d) are correct whereas (c) is wrong.

Figure: Discrimination between self and non-self antigents by immune cells