Transplantation of tissues/organs to save certain patients often fails due to rejection of such tissues/organs by the patient. Which type of immune response is responsible for such rejections?
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Humoral immunity involves B-cells and antibodies in the blood, while Cell-mediated immunity involves T-cells and is the main culprit in organ rejection.
Step 1: When an organ is transplanted, the recipient's immune system identifies the new tissue as "non-self" or foreign. Step 2: The Cell-mediated immune response (CMI), involving T-lymphocytes, is primarily responsible for detecting these foreign antigens on the graft. Step 3: T-cells then attack and destroy the transplanted cells, leading to graft rejection. This is why immunosuppressants are required for life after a transplant.