Final answer:
Immunocompetence refers to the ability of B and T lymphocytes to recognize specific antigens, while self-tolerance is the state in which the immune system does not attack the body's own tissues. B and T cells develop immunocompetence and self-tolerance through mechanisms such as central and peripheral tolerance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immunocompetence refers to the ability of B and T lymphocytes to recognize and bind to specific antigens.
During the maturation process in the bone marrow and thymus, B and T cells that bind too strongly to the body's own cells are eliminated, while those that react weakly to self-antigens but have highly specific receptors remain.
Self-tolerance, on the other hand, is the state in which the immune system does not attack the body's own tissues.
B and T cells develop self-tolerance through mechanisms such as central tolerance in the bone marrow and thymus, as well as peripheral tolerance in the lymphoid organs.
In central tolerance, B and T cells that recognize self-antigens too strongly undergo apoptosis, while in peripheral tolerance, B and T cells that bind to self-antigens but do not receive necessary signals from helper T cells become inactive or undergo apoptosis.