What is the adaptive immune system? The adaptive immune system has specialized cells that work together to identify, neutralize, and remember invading germs. Unlike the non-specific response of the innate immune system, the adaptive immune system provides a targeted defense. Dendritic cells collect pieces of foreign microbes and present them to T cells. T cells activate B cells, training them to create antibodies that block the pathogen from entering cells. Once the adaptive immune system mounts an immune response, it will remember how to protect against the same invader in the future.

Play a Kahoot! trivia game based on this animation. Visit http://www.vaccinemakers.org/trivia.

Watch the animation, “The Innate Immune System,” to learn about the first line of defense that is deployed against germs. If the innate immune system is losing the battle, it ensures that the adaptive immune system jumps in to help: https://youtu.be/Vm9T6QoDnck.

Animation created by and for the Vaccine Makers Project.
The Vaccine Makers Project gratefully acknowledges the ongoing collaboration and partnership with XVIVO, creator of medical animations and scientific media: https://xvivo.com.
Copyright © 2016, Medical History Pictures, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Vaccine Makers Project (VMP) is the classroom-based program of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC at CHOP). The Center’s team is composed of scientists, physicians, mothers and fathers devoted to the study and prevention of infectious diseases. The Center was launched in October 2000 to provide accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. The VMP program is committed to public education about vaccine science via scientifically supported, historically accurate, and emotionally compelling content.

Access the VMP’s free classroom materials: http://www.VaccineMakers.org.

Find information and resources related to vaccines and their safety: http://vaccine.chop.edu.

Learn more about the award-winning documentary for which the original animations were created. The documentary tells the compelling story of one of the world’s most accomplished scientists, Maurice Hilleman: http://www.HillemanFilm.com.