Question

Memory cells are formed from
a. Erythropoietic stem cells
b. Monocytes
c. T-lymphocytes
d. B-lymphocytes

Answer 1

Hint: Memory cells are long-lived immune cells that can recognize the same foreign particle again, thereby generating a faster and stronger immune response against that foreign particle. These cells do not produce antibodies.

Complete answer:
> Option (A) is incorrect. Erythropoietic stem cells are the stem cells that form mature red blood cells in the bone marrow by the process of erythropoiesis which have been derived from Greek words ‘erythro’ meaning “red” and ‘poiesis’ meaning “to make”.

> Option (B) is incorrect. Monocytes are the largest type of WBCs that can differentiate into macrophages. They also influence the process of adaptive immunity.

> Option (C) is correct. T-lymphocytes give rise to memory cells because memory T-cells can recognize specific antigen and give a stronger and faster immune response when they come across the same antigen again. These memory cells live for a relatively long time.

> Option (D) is incorrect. B-lymphocytes are the type of WBCs that have their role in humoral immunity and they secrete antibodies when T-lymphocytes present antigens to the B-lymphocytes. Thus, T-cells help B-cells to secrete antibodies after recognizing the foreign particle.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: T-lymphocytes are capable of recognizing an antigen or foreign particle and produce memory T-cells that will help in the recognition of the same foreign particle again. These memory T-cells will then aid the B-lymphocytes to produce antibodies. Re-exposure of the memory T-cells to the same pathogen will lead to the formation of clones of these cells immediately and therefore respond to the infection more strongly.