Question

Q1. Assume that what you have learned about the immune system is applicable to mice.

Suppose that you have two mice, A and B:

• Mouse-A: was infected with an intracellular pathogen known as pathogen X

• Mouse-B: was infected with both the intracellular pathogen (pathogen X) and anti-IL-2 antibodies.

Mouse-A and mouse-B, became ill because of the infection with this pathogen.

However, mouse-A was able to recover, but mous

Q1. Assume that what you have learned about the immune system is applicable to mice.

Suppose that you have two mice, A and B:

• Mouse-A: was infected with an intracellular pathogen known as pathogen X

• Mouse-B: was infected with both the intracellular pathogen (pathogen X) and anti-IL-2 antibodies.

Mouse-A and mouse-B, became ill because of the infection with this pathogen.

However, mouse-A was able to recover, but mouse-B, became so ill and died.

Why do you think that mouse-A was able to recover, but mouse-B died?

e-B, became so ill and died.

Why do you think that mouse-A was able to recover, but mouse-B died?

Answer 1

Mouse A was infected with the pathogen alone and Mouse B was infected with the pathogen as well as anti-IL-2 antibodies.

Since Mouse B was infected with IL-2 antibodies as well, mouse B would be unable to signal Leucocytes like T cells and B cells responsible for cell-mediated immunity. The activation of T cells requires the signaling by IL-2, however, since mouse B has anti-IL-2 antibodies, mouse B would not be able to activate T cells, and therefore would not be able to fight the pathogen. This means that the only defense against the pathogen in Mouse B would be the activity of phagocytotic cells. This is not sufficient, and Mouse B dies as a result of infection.