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B cell can get inside a cell and recognize an internal epitope
a. true
b. false

1 Answer

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Final answer:

B cells cannot get inside a cell to recognize an internal epitope; they recognize native antigens outside infected cells and present processed antigens on MHC II to helper T cells. This false statement is important in understanding the immune response and the distinct roles of B and T cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

B cells are not capable of getting inside a cell to recognize an internal epitope. B cells recognize antigens that are outside of infected cells in their native form, without needing to be presented by another cell.

B cells have receptors on their surface that can bind directly with specific antigens, much like a lock and key. After initially binding an antigen with the B cell receptor, the B cell then internalizes and processes this antigen before presenting it on MHC II to helper T cells.

This process is essential for the activation and differentiation of B cells into memory B cells and plasma cells, which are critical for the immune response. Thus, while B cells do internalize antigens, they do not enter cells to recognize internal epitopes, which is a role typically carried out by T cells that recognize processed antigenic fragments presented by other cells on their MHC molecules.

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