What type of cells are responsible for producing antibodies in the immune response?

B cells are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the immune response by producing antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that specifically recognize and bind to antigens, which are foreign substances such as pathogens (like bacteria and viruses) that enter the body. When B cells encounter an antigen that corresponds to their specific receptor, they become activated, proliferate, and differentiate into plasma cells. These plasma cells are the effector forms of B cells that actively secrete large quantities of antibodies into the bloodstream.

This antibody production is a critical component of the humoral immune response, which helps to neutralize pathogens and mark them for destruction by other immune cells. The antibodies can bind to pathogens directly to inhibit their function, or they can tag them for destruction by other immune system components, such as phagocytes.

In contrast, T cells mainly have roles in cell-mediated immunity, where they attack infected cells directly or assist other immune cells. Macrophages are important for phagocytosis and antigen presentation but do not produce antibodies. Dendritic cells serve primarily as antigen-presenting cells to T cells and are also not involved in antibody production.