Final answer:
Adaptive defenses in the body encompass both humoral immunity, which involves antibody production by B cells, and cellular defenses involving T cells. These two systems work in unison to provide a specific and robust response to pathogens throughout the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question refers to how the adaptive defenses of the body work to combat pathogens. The adaptive immune system can work all over the body at once by leveraging both its humoral immunity (involving antibodies produced by B cells) and cellular defenses (involving T cells directed against intracellular pathogens).
The humoral immunity allows for the production of antibodies that can neutralize or mark pathogens for destruction, while the cellular immunity is responsible for the direct killing of infected cells and the coordination of the immune response. Together, these mechanisms permit a robust and specific response to invading pathogens, providing a strategic attack tailored to eliminate the threat effectively.