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91Ó°ÊÓ

How can you explain that the same antibodies found in an infant’s body are also present in the infant’s mother? a. Antibodies produced in the mother’s body are passed to the infant via passive immunity through breast milk. b. Antibodies produced in the mother’s body are passed to the infant via active immunity through breast milk. c. Antibodies produced in the mother’s body are passed to the infant via passive immunity through the placenta. d. Antibodies produced in the infant’s body are passed to the mother through the placenta.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The correct answers are a and c, which involve passive immunity through breast milk and the placenta.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Passive vs. Active Immunity

Passive immunity involves the direct transfer of antibodies from one individual to another, providing immediate but temporary protection. Active immunity involves an individual's immune system producing antibodies in response to a pathogen, which provides long-term protection.
02

Identify Possible Routes of Antibody Transfer

Consider the two ways antibodies can be transferred from mother to infant: through the placenta before birth and through breast milk after birth.
03

Evaluate the Options

Option a involves passive immunity through breast milk. Option b incorrectly describes this process as active immunity. Option c involves passive immunity through the placenta. Option d incorrectly suggests antibodies move from infant to mother through the placenta.
04

Select the Correct Answer

Since antibodies can be transferred from the mother to the infant through both the placenta (during pregnancy) and breast milk (after birth), the correct options must involve passive immunity. Therefore, the correct answers are a and c.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Antibody Transfer
Antibody transfer is a process where antibodies are transferred from one individual to another. This is crucial in passive immunity, where the recipient gets immediate, but short-term protection. For infants, antibody transfer happens primarily through the placenta during pregnancy and breast milk after birth.

In placental transfer, maternal antibodies cross the placenta to reach the developing fetus. This transfer provides the infant with some degree of immunity before they are even born.

Breastfeeding plays a key role as well. The mother’s milk contains antibodies that help protect the newborn against infections. Understanding these processes highlights how nature has built-in mechanisms to shield infants from diseases during their early life stages.
Breast Milk Immunity
Breast milk is more than just nutrition for an infant. It’s a complex fluid loaded with antibodies, especially Immunoglobulin A (IgA). These antibodies offer protection against pathogens that the infant might encounter after birth.

When the mother is exposed to infections, her immune system produces antibodies. These antibodies are then passed on to the baby through breast milk, providing passive immunity. Passive immunity from breast milk is crucial in the early months of life when the infant’s own immune system is still developing.

Besides antibodies, breast milk also contains other immune cells and factors which support the infant’s immune system. It not only protects the baby from immediate threats but also helps in the maturation of their own immune response.
Placental Immunity
Placental immunity refers to the transfer of antibodies from the mother to the fetus through the placenta. This occurs primarily during the last trimester of pregnancy. The placenta acts as an interface, allowing Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to pass from mother to fetus.

This type of passive immunity ensures that the baby has a supply of antibodies from the moment they are born, providing protection against infections in the early days of life. The maternal antibodies offer a shield until the infant’s own immune system starts to generate its protection.

Placental antibody transfer is a natural support system for newborns, securing them against pathogens during their initial exposure to the external environment.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the complement system? a. The complement system contains macrophages that phagocytize foreign pathogens. b. The complement system monitors MHC I molecules on cells and destroys any cell that displays an antigen belonging to a pathogen. c. The complement system contains a group of about 20 proteins in the blood that attack pathogens in a cascading fashion to mark and destroy them. d. The complement system is made up of antibodies specific to each pathogen that are synthesized when a pathogen enters the body

How do natural killer cells react to healthy cells compared to cells infected with a pathogen? a. Natural killer cells recognize MHC I on a healthy cell and do not kill it, while the infected cells that do not present MHC I are killed. b. Natural killer cells recognize MHC I on an infected cell and kill it, while the healthy cells that do not present MHC I are not killed. c. Natural killer cells recognize MHC II on a healthy cell and do not kill it, while the infected cells that do not present MHC II are killed. d. Natural killer cells recognize MHC II on an infected cell and kill it, while the healthy cells that do not present MHC II are not killed.

How does an antibody molecule bind specifically to one antigen but not to others? a. due to the presence of a specific antigen binding site b. due to the constant region c. due to diversity of variable region d. due to the complete antibody structure

What are naïve B or T cells and how do they function in cell-mediated and humoral immune responses? a. Naïve B and T cells are lymphocytes of the B and T types that have come into contact with pathogenic antigens. Naïve T cells produce antibodies in the humoral immune response, while naïve B cells stimulate the cell-mediated immune response. b. Naïve B and T cells are lymphocytes of the B and T types that normally circulate in the body at all times and have not come into contact with any pathogenic antigens. Activated T cells produce antibodies in the humoral immune response, while activated B cells stimulate the cell-mediated immune response. c. Naïve B and T cells are lymphocytes of the B and T types that normally circulate in the body at all times and have not come into contact with any pathogenic antigens. Activated B cells produce antibodies in the humoral immune response, while activated T cells stimulate the cell mediated immune response. d. Naïve B and T cells are lymphocytes of the B and T types that have come into contact with pathogenic antigens. Naïve B cells produce antibodies in the humoral immune response, while naïve T cells stimulate the cell-mediated immune response.

What is the difference between innate and adaptive immune responses? a. The adaptive immune system is faster-acting than the innate immune system. b. The adaptive immune system produces a longer lasting defense than the innate immune system. c. The innate immune system produces a more specific defense than the adaptive immune system. d. The innate immune system has a more sophisticated memory than the adaptive immune system.

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