Which component of the immune system is responsible for adaptive immunity?

Lymphocytes play a crucial role in the adaptive immune system, which is characterized by its ability to recognize specific pathogens and mount a targeted response. There are two primary types of lymphocytes involved in adaptive immunity: B cells and T cells.

B cells are responsible for producing antibodies, which can bind to specific antigens presented by pathogens, neutralizing them or marking them for destruction. On the other hand, T cells have various functions, including helping B cells produce antibodies and directly killing infected cells. The adaptive immune response is highly specific and has a memory component, meaning that once the system has encountered a specific pathogen, it can respond more rapidly and effectively upon subsequent exposures.

Other components of the immune system, such as neutrophils, basophils, and macrophages, primarily function in the innate immune response, which provides immediate, non-specific defense against pathogens. While these cells are important for initial responses to infections and act as the body's first line of defense, they do not provide the same level of specificity or immunological memory as lymphocytes do in the adaptive immune response.