What two defining characteristics distinguish the adaptive immune system from the innate response?
Answer
Specificity and memory
The adaptive (or acquired) immune system is fundamentally characterized by two critical features: specificity and immunological memory. Specificity refers to the system's ability to recognize and target the precise molecular signature, or antigen, of the invader, leading to the production of highly targeted antibodies and killer T cells. Memory is the crucial long-term advantage; upon re-exposure to the identical pathogen, the adaptive response is mobilized significantly faster and with greater potency, often preventing symptomatic illness entirely. These characteristics stand in contrast to the innate system, which is generalized and lacks this long-term recall capability.
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