Functions
Adaptive immunity is triggered in vertebrates when a pathogen evades the innate immune system and generates a threshold level of antigen.
The major functions of the adaptive immune system include:
- the recognition of specific “non-self” antigens in the presence of “self”, during the process of antigen presentation.
- the generation of responses that are tailored to maximally eliminate specific pathogens or pathogen infected cells.
- the development of immunological memory, in which each pathogen is “remembered” by a signature antibody. These memory cells can be called upon to quickly eliminate a pathogen should subsequent infections occur.
Read more about this topic: Adaptive Immune System
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—William Wordsworth (1770–1850)