Question

What influences whether your immune system remembers if you have been exposed to an infectious agent or not?

Answer 1

The immune system functions to detect and destroy foreign antigens in order to protect the body from infections.

• When a foreign antigen / pathogen arrives in the body for first time it is said to be primary exposure.
• B lymphocytes produce antibodies against it and destroys it.
• During this, B cells turn into memory cells that remembers the antigen.
• When the same antigen re-enters the body, immunological memory initiates secodnary immune response.
• This response is much quick and and the antibodies bind to antigens with greater affinity.
• The effect is prolonged and much effective as compared to the primary immune response.

Hence, memory cells influence the immune system to remember an infectious agent.