Most of the T cells generated during a primary immune response die by means of apoptosis a few weeks after the infection responsible for their production clears.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Most of the T cells generated during a primary immune response undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death) a few weeks after the infection has been cleared. This is a normal process that prevents the accumulation of excess T cells that are no longer needed, and allows the immune system to return to its pre-infection state. However, a small population of memory T cells is generated during the primary immune response and these cells can persist for many years, providing long-term immunity to the same pathogen.

Most of the T Cells Generated During a Primary Immune