Final answer:
The primary function of β-defensins is to attach to microbes and enhance their ingestion by phagocytes, playing a significant role in the innate immune system's first line of defense against a broad spectrum of pathogens.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary function of β-defensins in response to microbes is attachment to microbes and making them more susceptible to ingestion by phagocytes. β-defensins are small antimicrobial peptides that are a part of the innate immune system. Unlike antibodies, which target specific pathogens, β-defensins provide a generalized and nonspecific defense against a broad spectrum of pathogens.
β-defensins work by disrupting the microbial cell membrane, making them more accessible to phagocytes like macrophages and neutrophils. When phagocytes encounter pathogens coated in β-defensins, this encourages phagocytosis, wherein these immune cells engulf and destroy the microbes. This process helps to clear the infection from the body, offering a crucial barrier against microbial invasion.
It's important to note that while β-defensins aid in the recruitment and enhancement of phagocytes, they do not directly degrade bacterial peptidoglycan, inhibit microbial RNA and DNA, or activate host phagocytes by binding to them.