Let me share with you a comparison between Adaptive and Innate immune response.
Aspect | Adaptive or Acquired immune response | Innate immune response |
Specificity | Highly specific to particular pathogens and antigens. | General and non-specific in recognizing a broad range of pathogens. |
Memory | Exhibits immunological memory, leading to a faster and stronger response upon re-exposure to the same pathogen. | Lacks immunological memory |
Components | · B cells (antibody-mediated immunity) · T cells (cell-mediated immunity) | · Composed of physical and chemical barriers · Phagocytic cells (e.g., macrophages) · Inflammatory responses |
Time of Activation | Slower response time | Rapid response within minutes to hours |
Activation | Activated by exposure to specific antigens, often with the help of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). | Activated by the presence of pathogens through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). |
Function | Mainly responsible for clearing infections, destroying infected cells, and providing long-term immunity. | Provides immediate, but short-term, defense against a wide range of pathogens. |