Which type of white blood cell is primarily responsible for the immune response?

Lymphocytes are indeed the type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the immune response. They are primarily responsible for the adaptive immune system, which provides targeted defenses against specific pathogens. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells. B cells are responsible for antibody production, while T cells help in directly killing infected host cells and regulating immune responses.

This adaptive immune response is crucial for the body’s ability to remember past infections and respond more efficiently upon subsequent exposures to the same pathogens, ensuring a more robust and faster immune reaction. Other types of white blood cells also play important roles in immunity; for instance, neutrophils are primarily involved in the initial, non-specific defense against infections, while basophils and eosinophils are more specialized and implicated in allergic responses and fighting parasitic infections, respectively. However, they do not have the same primary role in the adaptive immunity as lymphocytes do.