[Campbell Biology P.1006] Which of the following statements correctly highlights a key differ... | Practice Question

Which of the following statements correctly highlights a key difference between innate immunity and adaptive immunity as described in the text and Figure 43.7?

  • A: Innate immunity is found only in vertebrates, while adaptive immunity is found in all animals.
  • B: Adaptive immunity provides a rapid response, whereas innate immunity is slower.
  • C: Innate immunity recognizes specific traits of particular pathogens, while adaptive immunity recognizes traits shared by broad ranges of pathogens.
  • D: Adaptive immunity is enhanced by previous exposure to a pathogen, unlike innate immunity.

Explanation

Figure 43.7 and the accompanying text explicitly state that innate immunity offers a rapid response and uses a small set of receptors for broad ranges of pathogens, while adaptive immunity responds slower but with remarkable specificity, using a vast array of receptors, and is enhanced by previous exposure. This enhancement by previous exposure immunological memory is a hallmark of adaptive immunity that distinguishes it from innate immunity.