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"The Tasmanian devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in Australia. It is in danger of extinction due to an unusual type of cancer called Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD). It can be passed from one individual to another through wounds that occur when they fight over food. Tumor cells in the mouth of an infected animal break off and enter the wound on an uninfected animal. The tumor cells multiply in the body of the newly infected devil, forming new tumors that eventually kill the animal.
Recent research has shown that the immune system of a Tasmanian devil accepts tumor cells from another devil as if they were cells from its own body. The tumor cells are ignored by the immune system. No immune response develops against them, and the cancerous cells multiply. Scientists predict that DFTD could wipe out all the remaining Tasmanian devils in 25 years, unless a treatment is developed.

Using the terms antigens and antibodies, explain why the tumor cells are ignored by the immune system in Tasmanian devils."

The Tasmanian devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in Australia It is in danger of extinction due to an unusual type of cancer called Devil Faci class=

Respuesta :

One reason the immune system ignores the tumors in the Tasmanian Devils is the antigens on the surface of the tumor cells could be interpreted by the immune system as being on cells that are not harmful and therefore do not form antibodies to protect them. Another reason is the the tumor cells may lack antigens that the antibodies can recognize and attack.