Explain how active immunity and passive immunity differ.

Video transcript

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together identify which of the following is not a characteristic of active immunity. Is it answer choice? A? It is long lasting ranging from years to a lifetime answer. Choice B it involves the production of memory cells. Answer choice C it involves transfer of preformed antibodies from mother to fetus or answer choice D it is primarily acquired through exposure to an antigen. Let's work this problem out together to try to figure out which of the following answer choices is not a characteristic of active immunity. So in order to solve this question, we have to recall what we have learned about active immunity to determine which of the following is not a characteristic of active immunity. And we can recall that the term active immunity refers to immunity that is produced by an encounter with an antigen. And active immunity provides immunological memory which that immunological memory refers to memory B cells being produced which provide long term immunity. So looking at our answer choices, we see answer choice A is a characteristic of active immunity since it is long lasting, ranging from years to a lifetime answer choice B it's also a characteristic of active immunity since it involves the production of memory cells, which are those memory B cells. And lastly answer choice D it's also a characteristic of active immunity as it is primarily acquired through exposure to an antigen, which means answer choices A B and D cannot be the correct answer. So answer choice C must be the correct answer. As it says, it involves the transfer of preformed antibodies from mother to fetus, which is not a characteristic of active immunity and instead is a characteristic of passive immunity. So answer choice C is the correct answer. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.