T-cell

Adaptive immunity soldier

A T-cell is a type of white blood cell central to the immune system's response to infection.

T-cells mature in the thymus (hence the T) and recognize foreign substances, coordinating attacks on infected or cancerous cells.

Different types—helper T-cells, killer T-cells, regulatory T-cells—perform distinct immune functions.

HIV destroys T-cells, weakening the body's defenses.

subtypes

helper

One who aids another

naive · effector · suppressor · CD4

development

thymus

Lymphoid organ maturing T-cells

cortex · medulla · emigration

activation

antigen

Immune response inducer

transcription · proliferation · clonal expansion · differentiation · effector · cytokines · interleukin-2 · anergy · apoptosis · priming

function

cytotoxic

Toxic to cells

recognition · specificity · recall · help · suppression · tolerance

clinical

immunotherapy

Disease treatment via body's defenses

immunodeficiency · HIV · AIDS · lymphoma · leukemia · immunosuppression · exhaustion · anergy · tolerance induction · multiple sclerosis

Categories
Opposites
immune cell lineage

T-cellB-cell

Antibody-secreting immune cell

immune function role

T-cellpathogen

Disease-causing microorganism

cancer cell · virus · bacterium · foreign body · parasite

immune system branch

T-cellmacrophage

Engulfing immune cell

neutrophil · natural killer cell · monocyte · basophil · mast cell

Family

T-cells

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G