Why do organ transplants trigger an immune response in a recipient?
(A) Antigens in the recipient’s body recognise the organ as foreign - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 13 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 13
Why do organ transplants trigger an immune response in a recipient?
(A) Antigens in the recipient’s body recognise the organ as foreign.
(B) Cell surface markers o... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Why do organ transplants trigger an immune response in a recipient?
(A) Antigens in the recipient’s body recognise the organ as foreign - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 13 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
A) Antigens in the recipient’s body recognise the organ as foreign.
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Answer
While this statement is partially accurate, it does not capture the complete picture of the immune response mechanism during organ transplants.
Step 2
B) Cell surface markers on the organ attack the recipient’s white blood cells.
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Answer
This statement is incorrect as it misrepresents the action of the cellular markers, which do not attack the recipient's cells.
Step 3
C) Antibodies in the recipient stimulate the production of antigens on the organ.
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This is not how antibodies interact with antigens, and thus this statement does not correctly explain the immune response.
Step 4
D) The recipient’s white blood cells recognise the antigens on the organ as foreign.
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Answer
This is the correct explanation. The immune response is initiated when the recipient's immune system identifies the transplanted organ's antigens as foreign, leading to an immune response.