Florida Biology EOC Practice Test

What type of cells produce antibodies in a specific immune response?

1. B-cells and T-cells

2. Macrophages and Neutrophils

3. Red and White blood cells

4. Stem cells

The correct answer is: B-cells and T-cells

The correct answer is that B-cells are responsible for producing antibodies during a specific immune response. When the body encounters a pathogen, B-cells, a type of white blood cell, recognize specific antigens on the surface of the pathogen. Once activated, these B-cells can differentiate into plasma cells, which are specialized to produce large quantities of antibodies. These antibodies are tailored to bind to the specific antigens, neutralizing the threat and marking it for destruction by other immune cells. While T-cells play a crucial role in the specific immune response, their primary function is not to produce antibodies. Instead, they are involved in directly targeting and destroying infected cells or helping to regulate the immune response. Therefore, while T-cells are essential, B-cells are the key players in antibody production. The other options include cells that do not produce antibodies at all. Macrophages and neutrophils are types of white blood cells involved in the innate immune response, playing roles such as phagocytosis and inflammation rather than specific antibody production. Red blood cells are primarily responsible for oxygen transport, and stem cells are precursor cells that can differentiate into various types of blood cells but do not produce antibodies directly.