The Immune System - Memory of the Immune System (GCSE Biology)
Memory of the Immune System
Memory Cells
- Memory cells are produced during a specific immune response. When an individual’s specific immune system responds to a pathogen, memory cells are produced. They are only produced when the specific immune system is activated – i.e. the response involving lymphocytes and antibody production.
- Memory cells help protect against future infections by the same pathogen. The memory cells can stay in the blood for many years, and if the same pathogen infects again with the same antigen, the memory cells can quickly produce antibodies. Therefore the body’s immune response is much quicker second time around in the secondary response to an antigen. This is why you are unlikely to get a disease like chicken pox again once you’ve had it once – your body has made memory cells and will quickly respond second time around.
- Memory cells are the cells that play an important role in vaccination. There is more about this in the vaccination section.
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