Question 1

Which of the following best describes the role of the skin in the immune system?

Accepted Answer

It acts as a nonspecific external barrier, preventing most pathogens from entering the body.

Question 2

A patient is bitten by a venomous snake. Which immune mechanism is most likely to neutralize the toxic enzyme in the venom?

Accepted Answer

Antibodies bind to the active site of the toxin, preventing it from interacting with body cells.

Question 3

Which of the following is a function of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins?

Accepted Answer

They identify the body’s own cells as 'self' to the immune system.

Question 4

During an inflammatory response, which chemical is primarily responsible for increasing blood flow and capillary permeability at the site of injury?

Accepted Answer

Histamine

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections?

Accepted Answer

Viruses lack the metabolic processes that antibiotics target in bacteria.

Question 6

A person receives a kidney transplant from a non-matching donor. Which immune mechanism is most likely to cause rejection of the transplanted organ?

Accepted Answer

The recipient’s immune system recognizes the donor MHC proteins as foreign and mounts an adaptive immune response.

Question 7

Which of the following is a key difference between innate (nonspecific) and adaptive (specific) immune responses?

Accepted Answer

Innate responses are immediate and nonspecific, while adaptive responses are delayed and specific to particular pathogens.

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the process of clonal selection in B cells?

Accepted Answer

Antigen binding stimulates specific B cells to divide and differentiate into plasma cells and memory B cells.

Question 9

Which of the following is a function of helper T cells in the immune response?

Accepted Answer

They stimulate both B cells and cytotoxic T cells by releasing cytokines.

Question 10

A patient with a genetic defect that prevents the formation of B and T cells would most likely:

Accepted Answer

Be unable to mount an effective adaptive immune response and be highly susceptible to infections.

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why fever can be beneficial during an infection?

Accepted Answer

Fever increases the activity of phagocytic cells and slows the reproduction of pathogens.

Question 12

Which of the following is a real-world example of cell-mediated immunity in action?

Accepted Answer

Cytotoxic T cells destroy virus-infected body cells to prevent the spread of infection.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the role of memory cells in acquired immunity?

Accepted Answer

They enable a faster and stronger immune response upon subsequent exposure to the same pathogen.

Question 14

A person with type 1 diabetes has an autoimmune disease. Which of the following best explains what is happening in their body?

Accepted Answer

Their immune system attacks and destroys insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas.

Question 15

Which of the following is a mechanism by which cancer cells can evade the immune system?

Accepted Answer

They may lack or alter surface antigens, making them unrecognizable to immune cells.

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the function of interferon during a viral infection?

Accepted Answer

It increases the resistance of neighboring cells to viral attack and stimulates natural killer cells.

Question 17

A patient is experiencing a severe allergic reaction after eating peanuts. Which immune component is primarily responsible for the symptoms?

Accepted Answer

IgE antibodies bound to mast cells trigger the release of histamine.

Question 18

Which of the following is a real-world example of how medical care assists the immune response?

Accepted Answer

Vaccination exposes the body to antigens, leading to the production of memory cells and immunity.

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why HIV infection leads to AIDS?

Accepted Answer

HIV destroys helper T cells, weakening both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.

Question 20

A new cancer therapy involves extracting T cells from a patient, genetically modifying them to recognize cancer-specific antigens, and reintroducing them into the patient. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Immunotherapy using CAR-T cells to target and destroy cancer cells.

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Study Guide - Practice Questions

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