What is the name of the protein produced by B-lymphocytes that aids in fighting infections?

The protein produced by B-lymphocytes that plays a critical role in the immune response is called an immunoglobulin. This term is often used interchangeably with the term "antibody." Immunoglobulins are specific proteins that recognize and bind to antigens, which are foreign molecules often found on pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. When B-lymphocytes encounter an antigen that matches their specific immunoglobulin, they become activated and can multiply, leading to the production of large quantities of that specific immunoglobulin.

This is crucial because immunoglobulins help neutralize or eliminate the infections by marking pathogens for destruction by other immune cells or by directly neutralizing their harmful effects. Therefore, immunoglobulins/antibodies serve as an essential component of the adaptive immune system, providing specificity and memory to the immune response, which is vital for long-term protection against future infections by the same pathogen.

While related terms like cytokines are indeed involved in immune responses, they serve different functions, such as signaling between immune cells, rather than directly binding to and neutralizing pathogens. Antigens themselves are substances that provoke an immune response but are not proteins produced by B-lymphocytes. Thus, immunoglobulin is the term that