Differentiate between Antibodies and Antibiotics on the basis of source.

Difference on the Mechanism of Action

Antibodies and antibiotics also differ in their mechanism of action: the way they kill pathogens and fight off infection. Antibodies produced in B cells bind to specific factors, called antigens, found on the pathogen. Once an antibody binds an antigen, the antibody triggers an activation of the immune system. The antibody signals for immune system cells to engulf and digest the infectious invader, helping to neutralize the infection.

Antibiotics, on the other hand, typically work by inhibiting essential cellular functions the infectious bacteria requires to live and divide. Penicillin, the first discovered antibiotic, works by preventing synthesis of the cell wall, an essential step in bacterial cell division, according to Elmhurst College. Without proper cell wall formation, water can rush into the bacteria and cause the cell to burst, thereby treating the infection.