William Wallace: Your Immune System Doesn’t only Defend, it Remembers
William Wallace, Founder and Director of Product Development and Scientific Affairs, posted on LinkedIn:
”Your immune system doesn’t only defend, it remembers
This diagram maps how the body’s innate and adaptive immune systems work together to identify, attack, and remember pathogens. It shows how different immune cells, antibodies, and signaling molecules coordinate to protect against infection while maintaining balance.
1. Innate immunity: the immediate response
The innate system acts within minutes, providing broad defense through physical, chemical, and cellular barriers.
– Example: Skin, mucus, and stomach acid block pathogens, while macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells identify and destroy invaders using pattern-recognition receptors.
– Example: The complement cascade amplifies inflammation and flags pathogens for destruction by immune cells.
2. Adaptive immunity: the targeted response
The adaptive system learns to recognize specific antigens and produces lasting protection through specialized B and T cells.
– Example: B cells release antibodies (IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE, IgD) that neutralize toxins and tag microbes for clearance.
– Example: T cells coordinate and execute defense-helper T cells activate macrophages and B cells, while cytotoxic T cells trigger apoptosis in infected cells.
3. Antibody specialization and immune memory
Each antibody class has a unique role in defense and long-term immunity.
– Example: IgM is the first antibody made in infection, IgG provides long-term protection and crosses the placenta, IgA guards mucosal surfaces, and IgE mediates allergic reactions.
– Example: Memory B and T cells remain after infection or vaccination, allowing faster and stronger immune responses upon re-exposure.
4. Active and passive protection
Immunity can be acquired through natural infection, vaccination, or temporary antibody transfer.
– Example: maternal antibodies passed through breast milk provide short-term passive defense.
The immune system’s strength lies in its coordination—an instant, non-specific response that buys time for a targeted, adaptive defense that remembers what it has seen.”

Stay informed with Hemostasis Today.
-
Jan 8, 2026, 05:51Dominika Jędrzejewska Akbaş Links Sleep Deprivation, Obesity, and Stroke
-
Jan 8, 2026, 05:42Rob Maloney: A Bruise that Did Not Go Away…
-
Jan 8, 2026, 05:33Matías J Alet on Treating Early Neurological Deterioration in Lacunar Stroke
-
Jan 8, 2026, 05:11Thomas Meinel Shares The English Stroke Guidelines 2026
-
Jan 8, 2026, 05:03Hilla Ben-Pazi: We Were Pleased to Receive a Grant from the Israeli Ministry of Economy
-
Jan 8, 2026, 04:24Nikhil Agrawal Breaks Down Perioperative Anticoagulation
-
Jan 8, 2026, 03:58Louise St Germain Bannon Appointed Interim Executive Director of ISTH
-
Jan 8, 2026, 03:47Wolfgang Miesbach on Fernando Corrales-Medina’s Team’s Latest Cross-Sectional Study on Haemophilia
-
Jan 8, 2026, 03:28Rick Matthews: Powerful Perspective from Erin and the NBCA Team
