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Both B cells and T cells carry customized receptor molecules that allow them to recognize and respond to their specific targets. The B cell's antigen-specific receptor that sits on its outer surface is also a sample of the antibody it is prepared to manufacture. When the antibody-receptor binds to a matching antigen, the B cell takes in the antigen and processes it. This triggers the B cell to become a large plasma cell, producing millions of copies of the same specific antibody. These antibodies then circulate in the bloodstream in search of more matching antigens. B cell antibodies cannot themselves kill an invading organism, but they can use their antibodies to mark invaders for destruction by other immune cells and by complement.
Source: National Cancer Institute, USA.
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