<P> Unlike the innate immune system , the adaptive immune system is highly specific to a particular pathogen . Adaptive immunity can also provide long - lasting protection ; for example , someone who recovers from measles is now protected against measles for their lifetime . In other cases it does not provide lifetime protection ; for example , chickenpox . The adaptive system response destroys invading pathogens and any toxic molecules they produce . Sometimes the adaptive system is unable to distinguish harmful from harmless foreign molecules ; the effects of this may be hayfever , asthma or any other allergy . Antigens are any substances that elicit the adaptive immune response . The cells that carry out the adaptive immune response are white blood cells known as lymphocytes . Two main broad classes -- antibody responses and cell mediated immune response -- are also carried by two different lymphocytes ( B cells and T cells ) . In antibody responses , B cells are activated to secrete antibodies , which are proteins also known as immunoglobulins . Antibodies travel through the bloodstream and bind to the foreign antigen causing it to inactivate , which does not allow the antigen to bind to the host . </P>
<P> Unlike the innate immune system , the adaptive immune system is highly specific to a particular pathogen . Adaptive immunity can also provide long - lasting protection ; for example , someone who recovers from measles is now protected against measles for their lifetime . In other cases it does not provide lifetime protection ; for example , chickenpox . The adaptive system response destroys invading pathogens and any toxic molecules they produce . Sometimes the adaptive system is unable to distinguish harmful from harmless foreign molecules ; the effects of this may be hayfever , asthma or any other allergy . Antigens are any substances that elicit the adaptive immune response . The cells that carry out the adaptive immune response are white blood cells known as lymphocytes . Two main broad classes -- antibody responses and cell mediated immune response -- are also carried by two different lymphocytes ( B cells and T cells ) . In antibody responses , B cells are activated to secrete antibodies , which are proteins also known as immunoglobulins . Antibodies travel through the bloodstream and bind to the foreign antigen causing it to inactivate , which does not allow the antigen to bind to the host . </P>
white blood cells that plays a central role in adaptive immunity
white blood cells that plays a central role in adaptive immunity
lymphocytes
lymphocytes