Antigen Presentation
This is what we call any foreign substance that enters the body.
What is an antigen?
A serum gives the body this immediately.
What are ready-made antibodies?
The reaction that begins when an antigen is recognized by the body.
What is the immune response?
Myth or Fact: Antibodies can fight any germ they want.
What is a myth? (They’re specific.)
COVID-19 is caused by this kind of microorganism.
What is a virus?
These proteins “fit” an antigen like a key fits a lock.
What are antibodies?
This is the main difference between a serum and a vaccine.
What is a serum gives antibodies; a vaccine stimulates your body to make them?
These cells are created during the immune response and help protect you next time.
What are memory cells?
Myth or Fact: Vaccines give you real memory cells.
What is a fact?
The body recognizes parts of a virus as these.
What are antigens?
Before antibodies increase enough to neutralize an antigen, this must pass.
What are several days?
This takes longer to work: a vaccine or a serum?
What is a vaccine?
This is why you don’t get sick the second time you meet the same antigen.
What is memory cells make antibodies faster?
Myth or Fact: You always get sick when an antigen enters the body.
What is a myth?
People got sick when COVID first appeared because they had none of these.
What are memory cells?
The ability of the immune system to recognize an antigen depends on these special white blood cells.
What are antibody-producing cells / specific white blood cells?
This is why a vaccine cannot help someone already infected.
What is it takes days to make antibodies?
Antibodies help destroy antigens by doing this.
What is matching and neutralizing them?
Myth or Fact: A serum gives you immediate protection.
What is a fact?
YOU MUST CHOSE A DOLLAR VALUE YOU WANT TO BET ON THIS QUESTION. The amount bet is added or subtracted based on your response.
Challenge Question Every Team Answers: Vaccination against some viruses is ineffective in preventing future infection. Does the failure of vaccination to protect against some viruses indicate a failure in the ability to produce memory cells?
(HINT: think of flu vaccine)
No, the virus has likely changed (mutation). Vaccination against one form of virus and production of memory cells will not protect against a virus if the viral antigen mutates so that it is no longer recognized by the immune system.
This is why you may show symptoms the first time an antigen infects you.
What is the immune system needs time to make antibodies?
Why must we get injected with an antibody instead of taking it by mouth.
Preserving antigen structure is an important reason why so many vaccines are given by injection rather than by the oral route, which exposes the vaccine to digestion in the gut.
This is why the second immune response is faster and stronger.
What is the body already has the blueprint (memory cells)?
Myth or Fact: Memory cells forget after one year.
What is a myth?
Someone vaccinated against COVID will respond this way if exposed later.
What is faster antibody production / no symptoms?