Paper I
2024 June (Supplementary) (2019 Scheme) · 100 marks · 180 min

Question

Secondary immune response

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Answer

Secondary immune response: the immune response elicited on re-exposure to an antigen previously encountered (i.e., in an already-sensitized/immunized individual), mediated primarily by pre-existing memory B and T lymphocytes generated during the primary response.

Key features:

  • Shorter lag phase — response begins more quickly (within 1–3 days) compared to the primary response (which takes 5–10 days), since memory cells are already primed and present in higher numbers.
  • Higher magnitude — antibody titres reach much higher peak levels than in the primary response.
  • Predominant antibody class: IgG (rather than IgM, which predominates in the primary response) — reflecting class switching that occurred during the primary response.
  • Higher affinity antibody — due to affinity maturation occurring in germinal centres during the primary response, secondary-response antibody has higher average affinity for the antigen.
  • Longer duration — the secondary response persists longer than the primary response.

Clinical/practical significance: this principle underlies the rationale for booster vaccine doses, which are designed to elicit a rapid, high-titre, high-affinity secondary-type response, providing stronger and more durable protective immunity than a single primary exposure/dose alone.

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