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Haematopoiesis and the Spleen Quiz
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Which statement best describes a key feature of T lymphocytes in the immune system?
- A They mature in the bone marrow and primarily produce antibodies You picked ✕
- B They act as antigen-presenting cells that activate naïve B cells You picked ✕
- C They secrete histamine and are the main drivers of allergic responses You picked ✕
- D They mature in the thymus and are primarily responsible for cell-mediated immunity You picked ✓
- E They are phagocytic cells that ingest and destroy extracellular bacteria You picked ✕
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The answer is D: They mature in the thymus and are primarily responsible for cell-mediated immunity
Explanation
Why D is correct
See T Lymphocytes. Option D is correct. T lymphocytes (T cells) are white cells of the adaptive immune system. They start in the bone marrow but then migrate to the thymus gland, where they mature; the T stands for thymus. Unlike B cells, T cells do not secrete antibody. Instead they carry out cell-mediated immunity, which is immunity delivered by the cells themselves rather than by antibodies. Different types of T cell do different jobs: some release chemical signals that coordinate other cells of the adaptive immune response, and others destroy cells that are infected with intracellular pathogens (germs that live inside cells, such as viruses). T cells and B cells look alike under the microscope, with a large nucleus surrounded by a thin rim of cytoplasm, and are distinguished by their surface proteins and what they secrete. The memory aid is T for thymus: they mature in the thymus and act as the cell-mediated arm.
- Maturation: T lymphocytes start in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus.
- Immunity: they provide cell-mediated immunity and do not secrete antibody.
- Roles: some coordinate the immune response and others destroy infected cells.
Why the other options are incorrect
- A. They mature in the bone marrow and primarily produce antibodies: Maturing in the bone marrow and producing antibodies describes B lymphocytes. T cells mature in the thymus and do not secrete antibody. Your answer
- B. They act as antigen-presenting cells that activate naïve B cells: Dendritic cells and macrophages are phagocytic cells derived from monocytes, and they present antigen to lymphocytes. T cells are lymphocytes that respond to antigen, so they are not defined as antigen-presenting cells. Your answer
- C. They secrete histamine and are the main drivers of allergic responses: Histamine release in allergic responses is a feature of mast cells and basophils; T cells contribute to allergic inflammation through cytokines but do not secrete histamine. Your answer
- E. They are phagocytic cells that ingest and destroy extracellular bacteria: Phagocytosis of extracellular bacteria is mainly a function of neutrophils and macrophages, not T lymphocytes; T cells recognise antigen and coordinate or directly kill infected cells. Your answer
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1
Which component of the spleen is primarily responsible for removing senescent erythrocytes and metabolising haemoglobin?
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2
Which circulating granulocyte stores histamine in its cytoplasmic granules?
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