As you know, we are acting as doctors to help cure a woman named Maria Lopez of Kidney disease. Maria's kidneys were first badly damaged when she became infected by Malaria as a baby. Malaria is a parasite that is transmitted by mosquitos. Malaria can damage the kidneys by causing inflammation and impairing blood flow. This can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease. 

Directions:In your medical journal, describe in your own words how Maria's body fought off the parasite. Be sure to mention the immune systems different levels of defense. 

Hint: Start with the first line of defense: the skin.  (3 sentence minimum)

Words you need to use: Barrier, Macrophage, Phagocytosis, Antibody, Shape, Engulf

When a pathogen such as a virus or bacterium enters the body, it carries unique molecules on its surface called antigens. Antigens act like identification tags that allow the immune system to recognize that something does not belong. Each pathogen has antigens with specific shapes. The immune system depends on recognizing these shapes in order to respond accurately. If the body cannot recognize the antigen, it cannot mount an effective defense.

B cells are a type of white blood cell that respond to these antigens. Each B cell has receptor proteins on its surface that are shaped to match only one specific antigen. This means a single B cell will not respond to every pathogen, only to the one whose antigen matches its receptor shape. When a matching antigen binds to the B cell, the cell becomes activated. It then divides and produces large amounts of proteins called antibodies that are released into the bloodstream.

Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins. The tips of the “Y” form what is known as a binding site. This binding site has a very specific three-dimensional shape that is complementary to the shape of a particular antigen. This relationship is often compared to a lock and key. The antigen is the lock, and the antibody binding site is the key. If the shapes match precisely, the antibody attaches to the antigen. If the shape is even slightly different, binding will not occur.

When antibodies bind to antigens, several important things can happen. Antibodies can mark pathogens so other immune cells can recognize and destroy them. They can also cause pathogens to clump together, making them easier to eliminate. In some cases, antibodies block viruses from entering healthy cells by covering the parts of the virus that would normally attach to a cell. The effectiveness of this response depends entirely on the specific shape of the antibody and its ability to bind to the matching antigen.

Last lesson, we learned that antibodies fight pathogens. 

1) Turn n' talk, can any antibody fight any pathogen? 

2) Do they have to be specific?

Directions: Open the below space and explain to the AI in detail why Maria won't get as sick the second time she gets Malaria.