Final answer:
Post-vaccination, an increase in antibodies, specifically the IgG class, is expected as part of the body's immune response. Vaccines stimulate the adaptive immune system, leading to long-term immunity through the production of memory B cells and plasma cells generating high levels of antibodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The blood component levels expected to increase following vaccination are antibodies, particularly the IgG class. Vaccinations work by stimulating the immune system to produce a robust and specific response to an introduced antigen, leading to antibody production and long-term immunity.
Once a vaccine is introduced, cell communication begins with antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, capturing the vaccine antigens and displaying them on their surfaces. These dendritic cells then travel to lymph nodes where they interact with B and T lymphocytes, initiating the adaptive immune response. B cells differentiate into plasma cells that produce antibodies against the vaccine's antigen. Upon re-exposure to the same pathogen, memory B cells respond by quickly producing large quantities of antibodies, of which IgG is the most abundant. This heightened antibody level is what gives the vaccine its protective effect.
An increase in the level of these antibodies provides long-lasting immunity by ensuring a quick and efficient response to subsequent exposures to the pathogen. The increase in specific antibody titers is a useful measure of immune response post-vaccination and can be detected through serological assays like the hemagglutination inhibition assay (HIA), which identifies the titer of antibodies in serum capable of blocking agglutination.