Antibodies play a key role in our immune system. They are proteins that are produced by the immune system to target and fight off antigens trying to cause an infection. For example this could be bacteria, a virus or another organism that is invading our body.

A pathogen will enter our body and soon our cells will recognise that it is an invader, an antigen. Then the particular white blood cells called lymphocytes would be alerted of these intruders and start creating antibodies. The antibodies are specifcally made to fight that certain antigen. Eventually the invader will be engulfed by numerous white blood cells known as macrophages or phagocyte. They are both called T-cells.

When the antigens have been dealt with, the antibodies still remain in case the same antigen attacks again. This means those antibodies will be ready the next time and respond almost instantly. For example if chicken pox returns for the second time, the antibody created by the immune system would remember how to fight it and kill it before the infection even starts. This is known as immunity.