Adaptive Immunity

The adaptive immune response is antigen-specific and may take days or longer to develop. Cell types with critical roles in adaptive immunity are antigen-presenting cells including macrophages and dendritic cells. Antigen-dependent stimulation of T cell subtypes, B cell activation and antibody production, and the activation of macrophages and NK cells all play important roles in adaptive immunity. The adaptive immune response also includes the development of immunological memory, a process that continues to develop throughout life and enhances future responses to a given antigen.