Immunity — AS & A Level Biology (9700) questions by topic
42 real questions, taken from 2023 to 2025 papers, make up this topic, worth 1 to 11 marks, so single-fact recall sits beside multi-part immunity explanations. Antibody structure, vaccination and monoclonal-antibody applications recur throughout: explaining why one antibody binds only one antigen type, distinguishing active from passive immunity after a monoclonal-antibody injection, and identifying which cells are removed from a mouse spleen for hybridoma production, with explain, deduce and apply the leading command words.
Submitting each answer for instant marking is useful here, since a passive-versus-active immunity mix-up, or a phagocyte misidentified as a neutrophil, is flagged immediately rather than repeated.
What examiners look for
- A common error assumes an antibody's two antigen-binding sites could differ, when both are identical since one antibody binds only one antigen type.
- Monoclonal-antibody injections are frequently, and incorrectly, described as giving active immunity, when the immunity conferred is passive.
- Neutrophils are often selected as the phagocyte involved, when they are simply the most common type rather than the one specified.
- A recurring confusion equates a non-self antigen directly with a virus or a whole pathogen cell such as a bacterium.
- Strong answers give detailed, precise outlines of non-self antigen features, and correctly match B-lymphocyte and T-helper cell roles, including cytokine secretion.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
Tetanus is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacterium. This bacterium produces a protein that is a toxin which causes illness. Scientists have produced a vaccine for…
Answer this question and get it marked →What is an effect on the immune system of a reduced number of T-helper cells? A a decrease in the destruction of infected body cells by T-helper cells B a decrease in the…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 12
The statements describe the phagocytosis of a bacterium by a macrophage. 1 Digestive enzymes break down the bacterium. 2 Lysosome fuses with the vacuole. 3 Macrophage displays the…
Answer this question and get it marked →Two people, G and H, were each given an injection to protect them against a particular pathogen. One person was injected with antibodies. The other person was injected with a…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
Which statements about antibody structure are correct? 1 The variable region determines the specificity of the antibody. 2 Y = hinge region containing disulfide bonds. 3 Z =…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which sequence correctly describes the events of phagocytosis? 1 lysosome fuses with the phagosome 2 pathogen is engulfed 3 pathogen is digested 4 phagosome forms A 2 → 4 → 1 → 3…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which function(s) are carried out by plasma cells? 1 engulf and destroy pathogens 2 produce memory cells 3 secrete antibodies A 1 only B 1 and 2 only C 2 and 3 only D 3 only
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 14
Which cells involved in the primary immune response are phagocytes? A monocytes B plasma cells C T-helper cells D T-killer cells
Answer this question and get it marked →Some ways in which different types of monoclonal antibodies can work: 1 binding to proteins on cell surfaces and triggering the immune system 2 blocking molecules on cell surfaces…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 22
Scientists are investigating the use of stem cells from bone marrow to produce red blood cells as an alternative to donor blood. The stem cells are haematopoietic stem cells.…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 23
Monoclonal antibodies can be used in the treatment of disease. Describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced using the hybridoma method.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 11
Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease of the gas exchange system, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Which method provides protection to infants against…
Answer this question and get it marked →The electron micrograph shows a type of blood cell. The cell has a multi-lobed nucleus and cytoplasm densely packed with extensive membranes and granules. What can be concluded…
Answer this question and get it marked →Why is mitosis important in the immune response?
Answer this question and get it marked →What is fused with a B-lymphocyte to form a hybridoma cell in monoclonal antibody production?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 12
What is the correct sequence of events in a primary immune response?
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statement about the properties of the antigen-binding sites in different antibody molecules is correct?
Answer this question and get it marked →The diagram shows a stage in monoclonal antibody production: X + cancer cells - hybridoma cells. What is represented by X?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 13
The events listed occur during the primary immune response to a specific pathogen. 1 activation of B-lymphocyte to produce plasma cells and memory cells 2 phagocytosis of invading…
Answer this question and get it marked →Influenza is an infectious disease caused by a virus. It is possible to have influenza more than once. Which statements explain why it is possible to have influenza more than…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 21
Antibodies are produced by plasma cells. Fig. 6.1 shows antigens bound to antigen-binding sites of an antibody molecule. The diagram shows a Y-shaped antibody made of two heavy…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 11
What will be produced by the division of memory cells during a secondary immune response?
Answer this question and get it marked →A vaccine is used to give immunity to the virus that causes the disease influenza. A new influenza vaccine is needed every year because the virus mutates regularly. What is the…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 12
A bacterial pathogen produces a protein that acts as a toxin. This toxin is harmful to humans. Scientists are developing monoclonal antibodies that can be used to detect the…
Answer this question and get it marked →Why is passive immunity effective for only a short time?
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 13
Which row is correct? Row involved in phagocytosis secrete antibodies --- --- --- A T-lymphocytes B-lymphocytes B T-lymphocytes T-lymphocytes C B-lymphocytes B-lymphocytes D…
Answer this question and get it marked →Four steps that occur during the primary immune response to a pathogen are listed. P B-lymphocytes divide by mitosis. Q T-helper cells interact with macrophages that have digested…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 23
T-lymphocytes are produced in bone marrow and mature in the thymus gland. When mature, T-lymphocytes leave the thymus gland to travel throughout the body. They remain inactive…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 11
Which blood cell type does not recognise, engulf and digest non-self particles? A macrophages B neutrophils C phagocytes D T-killer cells
Answer this question and get it marked →Repeated infections with malaria result in more effective immunity to malaria. Which type of immunity is responsible for the more effective immunity? A artificial active B…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
A successful vaccination programme provides a level of immunity where the majority of a population is protected. There are several factors that can affect the success of a…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
Monoclonal antibodies are produced using the hybridoma method. What are removed from the spleen of a mouse to produce monoclonal antibodies? A antigens B clones C lymphocytes D…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 22
Cells of the immune system respond to the presence of non-self antigens. Outline the features of non-self antigens.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 11
The dimensions of three agar cylinders, X, Y and Z, are summarised in the table. cylinder radius / mm length / mm --- --- --- X 2 10 Y 1 20 Z 5 5 What is the correct order of…
Answer this question and get it marked →Some responses made by cells of the immune system to a pathogen are listed. 1 mitosis 2 bind to specific antigens 3 produce memory cells 4 secrete antibodies Which responses are…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statements about uses of monoclonal antibodies are correct? 1 Monoclonal antibodies can be injected into patients to give active immunity. 2 Monoclonal antibodies can be…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statement explains how a vaccination programme can control the spread of an infectious disease in a population? A Unvaccinated individuals are less likely to meet a…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 12
A patient has had repeated infections from the same pathogen over a few months. The patient has been treated with the same antibiotic on each occasion. Which treatment could…
Answer this question and get it marked →A patient with kidney failure can be given a kidney transplant. Sometimes the donated kidney cells are killed by the patient's body. In this primary immune response, T-lymphocytes…
Answer this question and get it marked →The diagram shows the simplified structure of an antibody (a Y-shaped molecule). Labels X and U point to the two tips of the upper arms (the variable/antigen-binding regions), V…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 13
Some responses made by cells of the immune system to a pathogen are listed. 1 mitosis 2 recognises a pathogen 3 produces memory cells 4 secretes enzymes Which responses are…
Answer this question and get it marked →Some vaccines do not contain antigens. The vaccines contain a molecule of mRNA. Cells in the immune system use the mRNA molecule to make a protein antigen. The statements describe…
Answer this question and get it marked →Other AS & A Level Biology topics
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- Cell structure (98)
- Transport in plants (91)
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- Nucleic acids and protein synthesis (63)
- Practical skills (61)
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- Gas exchange (53)
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