Multiple Choice
Which of the following is NOT an organ where clonal selection occurs?
20. Adaptive Immunity
Clonal Selection
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The clonal selection theory states that:
A
Self-reacting T cells are destroyed in the bone marrow.
B
B cells will only proliferate during an infection if their BCRs successfully bind to the pathogen.
C
Antibody structure changes as it encounters an antigen for higher specificity binding.
D
Each T cell produces many different types of antibodies.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the clonal selection theory, which is a fundamental concept in immunology explaining how B cells and T cells are activated and selected in response to specific antigens.
Recognize that B cells have B cell receptors (BCRs) on their surface, which are specific to particular antigens. These receptors are crucial for the clonal selection process.
Identify that during an infection, B cells with BCRs that successfully bind to the pathogen's antigens will be selected for proliferation. This means only those B cells that can recognize and bind to the pathogen will multiply.
Clarify that the structure of antibodies does not change upon encountering an antigen. Instead, the specificity of the antibody is determined by the BCRs before encountering the antigen.
Note that each T cell does not produce antibodies. Instead, T cells have T cell receptors (TCRs) and play a different role in the immune response, such as helping B cells or directly killing infected cells.
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