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.
One who aids another
- cytotoxicToxic to cells
- regulatoryInvolving official oversight
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- naiveInnocently unsuspecting
effector · suppressor · CD4
Lymphoid organ maturing T-cells
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- selectionChosen item or items
- negative selectionRemoval of unsuitable candidates
- cortexOrgan's external tissue
Immune response inducer
- signalingConveying information nonverbally
- phosphorylationPhosphate group attachment process
- kinasePhosphate-transferring enzyme
- transcriptionWritten version of speech
proliferation · clonal expansion · differentiation · effector · cytokines · interleukin-2 · anergy · apoptosis
Toxic to cells
- killingCausing death deliberately
- lysisCell membrane rupture
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
specificity · recall · help · suppression · tolerance
Disease treatment via body's defenses
- transplant rejectionImmune attack on implanted tissue
- graft-versus-hostDonor immunity attacks recipient
- autoimmunityImmune system targets self
- immunodeficiencyWeakened disease-fighting capacity
HIV · AIDS · lymphoma · leukemia · immunosuppression · exhaustion · anergy · tolerance induction
helper
One who aids another
- cytotoxicToxic to cells
- regulatoryInvolving official oversight
- memoryMind's retention capacity
naive · effector · suppressor · CD4
thymus
Lymphoid organ maturing T-cells
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- selectionChosen item or items
- negative selectionRemoval of unsuitable candidates
cortex · medulla · emigration
antigen
Immune response inducer
- signalingConveying information nonverbally
- phosphorylationPhosphate group attachment process
- kinasePhosphate-transferring enzyme
transcription · proliferation · clonal expansion · differentiation · effector · cytokines · interleukin-2 · anergy · apoptosis · priming
cytotoxic
Toxic to cells
- killingCausing death deliberately
- lysisCell membrane rupture
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
recognition · specificity · recall · help · suppression · tolerance
immunotherapy
Disease treatment via body's defenses
- transplant rejectionImmune attack on implanted tissue
- graft-versus-hostDonor immunity attacks recipient
- autoimmunityImmune system targets self
immunodeficiency · HIV · AIDS · lymphoma · leukemia · immunosuppression · exhaustion · anergy · tolerance induction · multiple sclerosis
T-cellpathogen
Disease-causing microorganism
cancer cell · virus · bacterium · foreign body · parasite
T-cellmacrophage
Engulfing immune cell
neutrophil · natural killer cell · monocyte · basophil · mast cell