Mention the three characteristics of acquired immunity.

The characteristics of acquired immunity are :

• Antigenic specificity - It is the ability of the host cells to recognize an antigen specifically as a unique molecular entity and distinguishing it from another antigen.
• Immunological memory - It is the ability of the host cells to remember antigens or pathogens, tumor cells, tissues of immunological self.
• Ability to distinguish between self and non-self - The antigens on our own cells are known as self-antigens while those which do not originate in our body are known as non-self antigens. Our immune system should have the ability to distinguish between self and non-self antigens.