Which type of immune cell is responsible for producing antibodies?

B cells are the immune cells responsible for producing antibodies. They originate from stem cells in the bone marrow and undergo a process of differentiation to become plasma cells upon activation. Once activated, plasma cells secrete antibodies specific to antigens they have encountered. These antibodies bind to pathogens, neutralizing them or marking them for destruction by other immune cells. This process is crucial for the adaptive immune response, allowing the body to remember specific pathogens and respond more effectively upon later exposures.