Practice questions 1
,🧬 Innate Immunity (1–10)
1. Explain how inflammation helps contain infection and describe the roles of histamine, cytokines,
and vasodilation.
2. Compare physical vs chemical barriers of innate immunity and explain how each prevents
pathogen entry.
3. Describe how macrophages recognize pathogens using pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs).
4. Explain the role of toll-like receptors and what would happen if they were nonfunctional.
5. Compare neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells in function and lifespan.
6. Describe how fever can enhance immune function but also become dangerous.
7. Explain how the complement system destroys pathogens through opsonization, inflammation, and
membrane attack complexes.
8. Why are natural killer (NK) cells especially important in viral infections and cancer surveillance?
9. Predict what would happen to infection rates in a person lacking functional interferons.
10. Design an experiment to test whether a newly discovered protein participates in innate immunity.
🦠 Antigen Recognition & Adaptive Immunity (11–20)
11. Explain the difference between innate immunity and adaptive immunity in terms of specificity
and memory.
12. Describe how antigen presentation links innate and adaptive immune responses.
13. Compare MHC class I vs MHC class II molecules in structure, location, and function.
14. Why can every person present different antigen fragments on their MHC molecules?
15. Explain how clonal selection leads to antigen-specific lymphocyte expansion.
, 16. Predict what happens if antigen-presenting cells cannot express MHC II molecules.
17. Describe how dendritic cells activate naïve T cells in lymph nodes.
18. Why does the adaptive immune response take longer during first infection but respond faster
during reinfection?
19. Explain how immunological tolerance prevents immune attack on self tissues.
20. Predict consequences if negative selection in the thymus fails.
🧫 B Cells & Antibodies (21–30)
21. Describe the steps of B-cell activation from antigen binding to plasma cell formation.
22. Compare T-dependent vs T-independent B-cell activation.
23. Explain how somatic recombination creates antibody diversity before antigen exposure.
24. Describe how class switching changes antibody function without altering antigen specificity.
25. Compare the functions of IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE, and IgD.
26. Explain how antibodies neutralize toxins and viruses.
27. Why are memory B cells essential for vaccine effectiveness?
28. Predict how antibody production would differ in someone lacking helper T cells.
29. Explain affinity maturation and how it improves immune response over time.
30. Design a lab experiment to determine whether a patient has antibodies against a specific
pathogen.
🧪 T Cells & Cell-Mediated Immunity (31–40)
31. Compare cytotoxic T cells vs helper T cells in mechanism and function.
32. Explain how cytotoxic T cells recognize infected cells.
, 33. Describe how perforin and granzymes destroy target cells.
34. Why are helper T cells considered the “central coordinators” of adaptive immunity?
35. Predict the immune consequences of HIV infection destroying helper T cells.
36. Explain the role of regulatory T cells in preventing autoimmune disease.
37. Compare Th1 vs Th2 immune responses and when each is useful.
38. Describe how the immune system eliminates intracellular vs extracellular pathogens differently.
39. Explain how transplant rejection occurs from an immune perspective.
40. Predict what would happen if cytotoxic T cells could not recognize MHC I molecules.
💉 Immune Disorders, Vaccines, & Applications (41–50)
41. Compare autoimmune disease, immunodeficiency, and hypersensitivity disorders.
42. Explain the mechanism of allergic reactions and the role of IgE.
43. Why do antihistamines reduce allergy symptoms but not cure allergies?
44. Describe how vaccines generate immunity without causing disease.
45. Compare live attenuated vs mRNA vs subunit vaccines.
46. Explain herd immunity and how vaccination rates affect it.
47. Predict why booster shots are sometimes necessary.
48. Describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced and used in medicine.
49. Explain how cancer immunotherapy uses the immune system to target tumors.
50. A patient lacks a thymus from birth — predict the effects on their immune system and infection
risk.
,🧬 Innate Immunity (1–10)
1. Explain how inflammation helps contain infection and describe the roles of histamine, cytokines,
and vasodilation.
2. Compare physical vs chemical barriers of innate immunity and explain how each prevents
pathogen entry.
3. Describe how macrophages recognize pathogens using pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs).
4. Explain the role of toll-like receptors and what would happen if they were nonfunctional.
5. Compare neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells in function and lifespan.
6. Describe how fever can enhance immune function but also become dangerous.
7. Explain how the complement system destroys pathogens through opsonization, inflammation, and
membrane attack complexes.
8. Why are natural killer (NK) cells especially important in viral infections and cancer surveillance?
9. Predict what would happen to infection rates in a person lacking functional interferons.
10. Design an experiment to test whether a newly discovered protein participates in innate immunity.
🦠 Antigen Recognition & Adaptive Immunity (11–20)
11. Explain the difference between innate immunity and adaptive immunity in terms of specificity
and memory.
12. Describe how antigen presentation links innate and adaptive immune responses.
13. Compare MHC class I vs MHC class II molecules in structure, location, and function.
14. Why can every person present different antigen fragments on their MHC molecules?
15. Explain how clonal selection leads to antigen-specific lymphocyte expansion.
, 16. Predict what happens if antigen-presenting cells cannot express MHC II molecules.
17. Describe how dendritic cells activate naïve T cells in lymph nodes.
18. Why does the adaptive immune response take longer during first infection but respond faster
during reinfection?
19. Explain how immunological tolerance prevents immune attack on self tissues.
20. Predict consequences if negative selection in the thymus fails.
🧫 B Cells & Antibodies (21–30)
21. Describe the steps of B-cell activation from antigen binding to plasma cell formation.
22. Compare T-dependent vs T-independent B-cell activation.
23. Explain how somatic recombination creates antibody diversity before antigen exposure.
24. Describe how class switching changes antibody function without altering antigen specificity.
25. Compare the functions of IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE, and IgD.
26. Explain how antibodies neutralize toxins and viruses.
27. Why are memory B cells essential for vaccine effectiveness?
28. Predict how antibody production would differ in someone lacking helper T cells.
29. Explain affinity maturation and how it improves immune response over time.
30. Design a lab experiment to determine whether a patient has antibodies against a specific
pathogen.
🧪 T Cells & Cell-Mediated Immunity (31–40)
31. Compare cytotoxic T cells vs helper T cells in mechanism and function.
32. Explain how cytotoxic T cells recognize infected cells.
, 33. Describe how perforin and granzymes destroy target cells.
34. Why are helper T cells considered the “central coordinators” of adaptive immunity?
35. Predict the immune consequences of HIV infection destroying helper T cells.
36. Explain the role of regulatory T cells in preventing autoimmune disease.
37. Compare Th1 vs Th2 immune responses and when each is useful.
38. Describe how the immune system eliminates intracellular vs extracellular pathogens differently.
39. Explain how transplant rejection occurs from an immune perspective.
40. Predict what would happen if cytotoxic T cells could not recognize MHC I molecules.
💉 Immune Disorders, Vaccines, & Applications (41–50)
41. Compare autoimmune disease, immunodeficiency, and hypersensitivity disorders.
42. Explain the mechanism of allergic reactions and the role of IgE.
43. Why do antihistamines reduce allergy symptoms but not cure allergies?
44. Describe how vaccines generate immunity without causing disease.
45. Compare live attenuated vs mRNA vs subunit vaccines.
46. Explain herd immunity and how vaccination rates affect it.
47. Predict why booster shots are sometimes necessary.
48. Describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced and used in medicine.
49. Explain how cancer immunotherapy uses the immune system to target tumors.
50. A patient lacks a thymus from birth — predict the effects on their immune system and infection
risk.
