Innate immunity is considered as non-specific immunity because ___.

Question

Innate immunity is considered as non-specific immunity because ___.

A. They treat all pathogens in the same way.

B. Innate immunity respond to a specific pathogen at a time.

C. Innate is also called as adaptive immunity.

D. Innate has memory cells.

Answer 1

Hello, Lily!

There are two different types of immunity: innate and adaptive. Innate and adaptive immunity are not the same thing. This eliminates option C.

Innate immunity is non-specific, meaning that it cannot recognize specific pathogens.

There are 2 lines of defense that are part of the innate immunity, and neither of them can recognize specific viruses, bacteria, or foreign particles.

The first line of defense is meant to block pathogens from even entering the body, and it includes physical barriers like your skin. Your skin is like a wall. It is meant to block anybody and everybody from coming into your body.

The second line of defense is for if pathogens have made it into your body; it is meant to stop them from progressing any further and causing infection. The second line of defense includes inflammation and macrophages. Macrophages are cells that eat dead cells, bacteria, and debris. The cells that are part of the 2nd line of defense such as neutrophils and macrophages, all that they "know" is "I don't know who you are, but I know you don't belong. You're not one of our cells." (I put "know" in quotation marks because the way that cells recognize pathogens is actually quite complicated).

Both the 1st and 2nd lines of defense in the innate immunity do not have a way of remembering the pathogens that they meet In other words, they have no memory. This eliminates option D.

The adaptive immunity is the specific immunity (any time that you see adaptive think specific). The adaptive immunity includes your T-cells and B-cells. The T-cells and B-cells can recognize specific viruses and bacteria. Answer choice B is wrong because only adaptive immunity can respond to specific pathogens.

The final correct answer is A.

I hope this helps you understand the immune system better!

Leah