What are proteins that specifically target pathogens known as?

Proteins that specifically target pathogens are known as antibodies. Antibodies are a crucial component of the immune system, produced by B cells in response to an infection or disease. Once released, antibodies recognize and bind to specific antigens—substances that can provoke an immune response, often found on the surface of pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. By binding to these antigens, antibodies mark the pathogens for destruction by other immune cells and can neutralize their harmful effects.

In the context of the immune response, immunoglobulins is another term closely related to antibodies, as antibodies are a type of immunoglobulin. However, the term immunoglobulins is more general and does not specifically refer to their function in targeting pathogens. Cytokines are signaling proteins that mediate and regulate immunity, inflammation, and hematopoiesis but do not specifically target pathogens themselves. Antigens are the foreign substances that antibodies bind to, rather than being the proteins that target them. Therefore, the distinction lies in understanding that antibodies serve as the targeted response of the immune system against specific pathogens.