Interferons help the body against viral infection because they are
- A. antibodies secreted by plasma cells that neutralise virus particles
- B. antibiotics that block viral protein synthesis
- C. glycoproteins released by infected cells that make neighbouring cells resistant
- D. enzymes that digest the viral capsid in the bloodstream
Explanation
An infected cell secretes interferon, which binds receptors on nearby uninfected cells and switches on genes whose products block viral replication in those cells. Interferon therefore protects the neighbours rather than saving the cell that made it, and it is not virus specific. Antibodies are the tempting answer, but they are made by plasma cells, are highly specific and act on the virus itself, not on host cells.
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