Question 1

Which of the following best describes the primary difference between innate and adaptive immunity?

Accepted Answer

Innate immunity provides a rapid, non-specific response, whereas adaptive immunity develops more slowly and is highly specific to particular antigens.

Question 2

A patient is bitten by a mosquito and develops redness, heat, swelling, and pain at the site. Which of the following best explains the function of inflammation in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Inflammation increases blood flow and vascular permeability, allowing immune cells and proteins to access the site of infection and promote healing.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the process of phagocytosis by a macrophage?

Accepted Answer

The macrophage engulfs the microbe, forms a phagosome, fuses it with a lysosome to create a phagolysosome, and digests the microbe with enzymes.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a function of the complement system?

Accepted Answer

Activation of B cells to produce antibodies

Question 5

A germ-free mouse is used in a laboratory experiment. What is the primary reason researchers use germ-free mice to study the microbiome?

Accepted Answer

To understand how the absence of normal microbiota affects host physiology and immune function

Question 6

Which of the following anatomical sites is generally considered free of microbes in a healthy individual?

Accepted Answer

Bloodstream

Question 7

Which of the following best defines an epitope (antigenic determinant)?

Accepted Answer

The specific region of an antigen recognized and bound by an antibody

Question 8

Which class of antibody is most abundant in serum and is primarily responsible for secondary immune responses?

Accepted Answer

IgG

Question 9

During a viral infection, which cell type is primarily responsible for killing virus-infected cells via the release of perforin and granzyme?

Accepted Answer

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs)

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Only B cells with receptors specific to the antigen are selected to proliferate and differentiate into plasma cells and memory cells.

Question 11

A patient receives a subunit vaccine. Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding subunit vaccines?

Accepted Answer

They contain only specific antigenic components of a pathogen and often require booster doses.

Question 12

Which of the following best explains why herd immunity is important in controlling infectious diseases?

Accepted Answer

It reduces the overall number of susceptible hosts, thereby limiting the spread of disease even to unvaccinated individuals.

Question 13

Which of the following is a function of the microbiome that complements innate immunity?

Accepted Answer

The microbiome competes with pathogens for nutrients and attachment sites, helping to prevent colonization by harmful microbes.

Question 14

A newborn delivered by cesarean section and formula-fed is compared to a vaginally delivered, breastfed infant. Which of the following is most likely TRUE regarding their microbiomes?

Accepted Answer

The cesarean-delivered, formula-fed infant will have a different initial microbiome composition compared to the vaginally delivered, breastfed infant.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC)?

Accepted Answer

Antibodies coat large pathogens, allowing natural killer (NK) cells to recognize and destroy them.

Question 16

Which of the following is a key step in the activation of the complement system?

Accepted Answer

Cleavage of C3 into C3a and C3b

Question 17

A patient develops an immediate allergic reaction after exposure to peanuts. Which type of hypersensitivity is this?

Accepted Answer

Type I (immediate, IgE-mediated) hypersensitivity

Question 18

Which of the following best explains why diseases like measles and whooping cough still occur despite effective vaccines?

Accepted Answer

Not all individuals are vaccinated, leading to gaps in herd immunity and outbreaks.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the difference between a recombinant vaccine and a DNA vaccine?

Accepted Answer

A recombinant vaccine contains proteins produced by genetically engineered organisms, while a DNA vaccine contains plasmid DNA encoding the antigen.

Question 20

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between the number of immune memory cells ($$N_m) $$after clonal expansion and the initial number of activated cells ($$N_0) if $$each cell divides $$n$$ times?

Accepted Answer

$$N_m = N_0$ 	imes 2^n$$

Immunology: Innate and Adaptive Immunity, Microbiome, Antibodies, Cellular Responses, Vaccines, and Hypersensitivity

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