Final answer:
Antibodies, produced by plasma cells, help the body fight infections by tagging pathogens for destruction, preventing their adherence to host cells, agglutinating them, stimulating the complement system, and enhancing phagocytosis. Memory B cells help in producing a quicker response on future exposure to the same pathogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Antibodies Help the Body Fight Infections
Biologically produced proteins called antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are produced by plasma cells in response to pathogens like bacteria and viruses. The primary role of these antibodies is to fight infections through several mechanisms:
Antibodies bind to antigens on pathogens, effectively tagging them for destruction. This can prevent the pathogens from infecting or binding to host cells.
They can agglutinate, or clump together, the pathogens, disabling their functions.
The antigen-antibody complexes trigger the complement system, which helps to destroy the cell bearing the antigen.
They stimulate phagocytic cells to engulf and destroy the pathogens enhanced by the presence of these complexes.
Antibodies also play a role in the stimulation of inflammation and providing protection in mucus and on the skin.
Furthermore, some B cells become memory B cells after an infection, which can produce a faster and stronger response upon subsequent exposure to the same pathogen.