Many of them become plasma cells. Again, there must be the right receptors on the helper T cells to join up with the B cells and cause them to produce plasma cells. It is those plasma cells that start churning out thousands of antibodies a second.

Since each plasma cell makes only one kind of antibody, with a receptor specific for only one disease antigen, soon billions are on the front lines homing in on the antigens of one specific disease. They latch onto the invaders, slowing them down, causing them to clump together, making them more tempting morsels for the phagocytes to gobble up. This, together with the release of certain chemicals by the T cells, whips up the macrophages into a feeding frenzy, causing them to gobble up millions of the invading microorganisms.

Moreover, the antibodies themselves can lead to the death of these microorganisms. Once they have locked onto its surface antigens, special protein molecules, called complement factors, flock onto the germ. When the required number of complement factors are in place, they penetrate the membrane of the microorganism, liquid flows in, and the cell bursts and dies.

These antibodies, of course, must also have the right receptors to latch onto the intruders. On this point the 1989 Medical and Health Annual of the Encyclopædia Britannica, page 278, says that B cells are able “to produce between 100 million and a billion different antibodies.”

7. Plasma cells These cells produce antibodies by the millions, which, like guided missiles, then circulate throughout the body.

8. Antibodies When antibodies come across antigens their receptors can latch onto, they grab them, slow them down, cause them to clump together to become tempting morsels for the phagocytes to gobble up. Or they do the job themselves, with the help of the complement factors.