Which type of immune cell becomes activated with assistance from Helper T cells to produce antibodies?

The immune cell that becomes activated with the assistance of Helper T cells to produce antibodies is the B cell. When a B cell encounters an antigen, it presents bits of that antigen on its surface. Helper T cells then recognize these antigens and provide signals in the form of cytokines. This interaction is crucial for the activation of B cells, leading them to undergo differentiation into plasma cells. Plasma cells are responsible for producing antibodies specific to the antigen encountered. These antibodies then help in neutralizing pathogens or marking them for destruction by other immune cells.

In contrast, T cells are primarily involved in directly attacking infected cells or orchestrating the immune response, rather than producing antibodies. Natural Killer cells are focused on targeting and destroying virus-infected cells and tumor cells, while macrophages are essential for engulfing pathogens and presenting antigens but do not produce antibodies themselves. Thus, B cells are uniquely positioned as the ones that, upon activation from Helper T cells, engage in the critical process of antibody production, thereby playing a key role in the humoral immune response.