Final answer:
The immune system generates specialized proteins known as antibodies to identify and neutralize pathogens. These antibodies specifically bind to antigens on pathogens' surfaces, tagging them for destruction by other immune mechanisms such as the complement system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The immune system develops specialized proteins called antibodies, which help the body fight off certain microbes. These antibodies are produced by immune cells such as B cells once they are activated to recognize and fight a specific pathogen. Pathogens carry unique proteins on their surfaces called antigens, which are identified as foreign by the immune system. Once a B cell recognizes an antigen, it begins to produce antibodies that can specifically bind to that antigen.
This not only tags the pathogen for destruction by other components of the immune system, such as phagocytic cells and the complement system but also directly neutralizes the pathogen. The complement system, consisting of about 20 proteins, works alongside antibodies to destroy extracellular pathogens by covering them with complement proteins, ultimately leading to the pathogen's destruction.