Q2. Write short notes:
- (a)) Therapeutic vaccines (125 words)
- (b)) Superantigens (125 words)
- (c)) Natural Killer Cells. (125 words)
- (d)) ELISA (125 words)
Key Points:
- Therapeutic vaccines treat existing diseases by boosting immunity post-infection/diagnosis, unlike prophylactic vaccines.
- Superantigens are microbial toxins that non-specifically activate T cells by binding MHC II and TCR Vβ chain.
- Superantigen activation bypasses conventional antigen presentation, leading to a massive cytokine storm and systemic toxicity.
- Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that kill virally infected/cancerous cells.
Answer: Immunology encompasses various mechanisms and techniques critical for understanding and combating diseases. This includes distinct vaccination strategies, such as therapeutic vaccines, which differ significantly from their prophylactic counterparts. Furthermore, specific microbial products like superantigens can dysregulate the immune system, leading to severe pathology. Key cellular players, like Natural Killer cells, provide rapid innate defense, while diagnostic tools such as ELISA are fundam...