Final answer:
The statement is true; cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 play crucial roles in B cell proliferation, maturation into plasma cells, and antibody class switching to effectively respond to infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-5 are central to the production of antibodies and antibody class switching is true. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a key cytokine involved in the differentiation of naive helper T cells to Th2 cells which are essential for B cell antibody class switching, particularly in switching from producing IgM to other immunoglobulin classes such as IgG, IgA, or IgE. This process, known as class or isotype switching, involves genetic rearrangement of the antibody heavy chain to change the antibody class while retaining specificity for a particular antigen.
Interleukin-5 (IL-5) promotes the growth and differentiation of B cells and is also involved in class switching to IgA and the production of eosinophils. Together, IL-4 and IL-5 orchestrate the humoral immune response, ensuring that B cells not only multiply and mature into antibody-producing plasma cells but also produce the most effective class of antibody to deal with an infection.