An antibody is a protein component of the immune system that circulates in the blood, recognizes foreign substances like bacteria and viruses, and neutralizes them. Antibody, a protective protein produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, called an antigen. Antibodies recognize and latch onto antigens in order to remove them from the body. Learn more about the function and structure of antibodies in this article. Learn what antibodies are, how they protect you from foreign substances and what types of antibodies exist. Find out how monoclonal antibodies, COVID antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies can affect your health. Antibodies are proteins that help your immune system respond to infections and illnesses by attaching to pathogens and neutralizing them.