Acquired Immunity
Acquired immunity, also known as adaptive immunity, is the immunity gained over the life span by getting exposed to different pathogens throughout life.
- It is a slow response as compared to innate immunity.
- It is specific to a particular antigen or pathogen and is mediated by various lymphocytes and antibodies.
- When an individual is exposed to a certain pathogen, a memory regarding that pathogen is created, and then again that pathogen attacks that individual at that time, the adaptive immune system has a memory to fight against that pathogen in the form of antibodies.
Also Read: Monoclonal Antibody
Innate And Acquired Immunity
The immune system fights against germs and foreign substances on the skin, in the body’s tissues, and in bodily fluids such as blood. The overall ability of the host to fight the disease-causing organisms conferred by the immune system is called Immunity. The immune system can be broadly categorized into two types, the innate (Non-specific) immune system and the acquired (specialized) immune system. These two systems work closely together and take on different tasks.