Final answer:
The stages of the immune response are Recognition, Activation, and Effector. They occur in a sequence of Recognition (hours), Activation (days), and Effector (weeks). This process is part of the adaptive immune system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three stages of the immune response in the context of adaptive immunity are Recognition, Activation, and Effector phases. During the Recognition stage, the immune system identifies the antigen. This is followed by the Activation stage, where T cells and B cells are activated to respond to the antigen. Lastly, in the Effector stage, antibodies are produced and the immune system works to eliminate the antigen.
In terms of timing, the Recognition stage occurs within the first few hours after an antigen is encountered. The Activation stage, involving T cell and B cell activation and the beginning of clonal expansion, begins shortly thereafter and can take several days to fully ramp up. The Effector stage, where the peak antibody response is reached and the pathogen is cleared, can take weeks. Based on this knowledge, the correct sequence is c) Recognition (hours), Activation (days), and Effector (weeks).