The adaptive (acquired) immune response develops more slowly (days) than the innate immune response to an initial exposure but prepares for future immunologic challenges by creating memory to a specific pathogen. It leads to an enhanced response to subsequent encounters with that pathogen. There are 2 types of adaptive immune responses:
Antibody (humoral)—the core function of B lymphocytes which produce antibodies (immunoglobulins)
Cell-mediated—the core function of T lymphocytes