Which immune cells are primarily responsible for the adaptive immune response?

The adaptive immune response is characterized by its ability to recognize specific pathogens and mount a tailored immune response against them. The primary immune cells involved in this process are B cells and T cells.

B cells are responsible for humoral immunity, producing antibodies that bind to specific antigens, neutralizing pathogens, and marking them for destruction by other immune cells. They are crucial for the recognition of extracellular antigens. T cells, on the other hand, are essential for cellular immunity. They help in directly killing infected cells (cytotoxic T cells) and assisting other immune cells (helper T cells) in coordinating the overall immune response.

In contrast, neutrophils play a significant role in the innate immune response and primarily act as first responders to infection, focusing on phagocytosis of pathogens rather than specific antigen recognition. Macrophages also belong to the innate system, performing similar roles but with additional functions in antigen presentation. Basophils are involved in allergic responses and are not a primary component of the adaptive immune response.

Thus, B cells and T cells are the critical players in the adaptive immune system, making this choice the most accurate representation of the cells responsible for this part of the immune response.