Adaptive Immunity

Lesson Topic Essential Idea and Objective(s) IB Curriculum Connections Activities
1 Antigens

Antigens are molecules that stimulate antibody production.

  • Define antigen.

  • List example antigen molecules.

Red blood cells have surface proteins that act as antigens in a person with a different blood group. 

  • Outline the difference between the ABO blood antigens.

  • State the four human ABO blood types.

  • Describe the consequence of mismatched blood transfusions, including agglutination and hemolysis.

Every organism has unique molecules on the surface of its cells (11.1.U1).

Antigens on the surface of red blood cells stimulate antibody production in a person with a different blood group (11.1.A1)


Initial Knowledge Audit (ICI)

Antigen notes

Blood types notes

Blood type notes (handwritten)

Roots of ABO system (A&B)

Blood typing notes

Blood typing CFU

A&B:  TPWKY (listen between 18:45 - 22:30)
2 Humoral vs Cell Mediated Immunity

Adaptive immunity consists of the humoral and cell mediated responses to antigens.

  • Compare humoral to cell mediated immunity.

 

The lymphatic system

Intro to humoral vs cell mediated notes

The Body Bill Bryson (chapter 12)

3 Helper T-Cells and HIV

Adaptive immunity is activated by T lymphocytes.

  • Describe activation of helper T lymphocytes by the macrophage.

HIV causes AIDS by infecting helper-T cells.  

  • Describe the consequences of HIV on the immune system.

  • Outline the relationship between HIV and AIDS.

B lymphocytes are activated by T lymphocytes in mammals (11.1.U3).

Effects of HIV on the immune system and methods of transmission (6.3.A3).


Helper T-cells and activation of innate immunity notes

Diagram with annotations

Helper T cell model (example)

Activating Adaptive Immunity Check for Understanding 

Thank your T-cells (A&B) 

HIV notes

Science Vs Podcast (≈9:20)

TPWKY HIV/AIDS (≈20:50)

Analyzing HIV Data

4 Plasma B Cells and Antibodies

Antibodies are produced by B lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen.

  • Define “specific immune response.”

  • Contrast antigen and antibody.

  • Explain the “challenge and response” mechanism of specific immunity.

  • Describe clonal selection of plasma B cells.

  • State the function of plasma and memory B cells.

Production of antibodies by lymphocytes in response to particular pathogens gives specific immunity to diseases (6.3.U6).


Plasma cells secrete antibodies (11.1.U5).


Activated B cells multiply to form clones of plasma cells and memory cells (11.1.U4).


Antibodies aid the destruction of pathogens (11.1.U6).


B Cell Clonal Selection notes

Antibodies notes

Review slides (ICTD)

How do antibodies work video clip

B Cell model

Humoral immunity check for understanding

Antigen-Antibody lab

Small wonders: The antibodies from camels and sharks that could change medicine
5 Memory B Cells and Lasting Immunity

Immunity depends upon the persistence of memory cells.

  • Define immunity.

  • Compare natural vs artificial immunity.

  • Explain the differences between the primary and secondary immune responses.

Immunity depends upon the persistence of memory cells (11.1.U9).

Memory vs Plasma B Cells

Memory B cells and second exposures


Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won't Need Another for a Long Time (A&B)

Does exposure to cold and flu viruses weaken or strengthen the immune system?


6 Vaccines

Vaccines trigger immunity but do not cause the disease. 

  • Explain the principle of vaccination.

Jenner is credited with development of the first vaccine.

  • Outline  how Jenner tested his smallpox vaccine.

  • List reasons when Jenner’s test would not be approved today.

Vaccination programs can reduce and eliminate infectious diseases from populations. 

  • Define epidemiology. 

  • Outline the role of an epidemiologist in vaccination programs.

  • Describe the global initiative used to eradicate smallpox.

Vaccines contain antigens that trigger immunity but do not cause the disease (11.1.U10).

Smallpox was the first infectious disease of humans to have been eradicated by vaccination (11.1.A1).

Analysis of epidemiological data related to vaccination programmes (11.1.S1).

Consider ethical implications of research- Jenner tested his vaccine for smallpox in a child (11.1.NOS).


Jen Gunter: How vaccines are developed -- and why they're safe | TED Talk 

Koala vaccination article 

Ethan Lindenberger: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | TED Talk

How smallpox inoculation united America 

Hoping for a Covid Vaccine and Recalling the One for Smallpox - The New York Times 

Vaccine Hesitancy (A&B)

The Natural Experiment from 99%I (≈46:00)

Smallpox from Sawbones (≈22:00)

Science Diction Podcast

This Podcast Will Kill You 

Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases.

Logical fallacies and vaccines

Just 14 cases: Guinea worm disease nears eradication
7 Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies are used in diagnosis and treatment of disease.

  • Define “monoclonal antibody.”

  • Explain the production of hybridoma cells.

  • Describe the production of monoclonal antibodies in hybridoma cells.

  • Outline the use of monoclonal antibodies in diagnosis and treatment.

  • Describe a pregnancy test strip works, including the role of free and immobilized monoclonal antibodies.

Fusion of a tumour cell with an antibody-producing plasma cell creates a hybridoma cell (11.1.U11).


Monoclonal antibodies are produced by hybridoma cells (11.1.U12).


Monoclonal antibodies to HCG are used in pregnancy test kits  (11.1.A3).


Monoclonal antibodies notes

MCA in diagnosis test strips

Elisa Lab BioRad

Monoclonal Antibody review slides

A&B:  Monoclonal antibody prevents malaria
8 Unit Wrap Up and Review     Quizizz Review (OCI)