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How do T cells kill antigens?


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Solution

T cells:

  1. A T cell is a type of lymphocyte. One of the essential white blood cells of the immune system, they play a role in the adaptive immune response.
  2. The cell membrane of T cells is filled with a protein known as a T cell receptor.
  3. These receptors can identify different kinds of distinct antigens, which are the things that elicit an immunological response.

T cells kill antigens in the following ways:

T cell receptor:

  1. The cell membrane of T cells is filled with a protein known as a T cell receptor.
  2. These receptors can identify different kinds of distinct antigens, which are the things that elicit an immunological response.
  3. Helper T cells release substances like cytokines into the bloodstream to strengthen the immune system when harmful cells or viruses are present.

Cytotoxic T cells:

  1. These cells adhere to different types of bodily cells.
  2. One of two things will happen if the cytotoxic T cells learn that a cell is unwell or harmful.
  3. The cell will either be forced to kill itself or secrete an enzyme that will do so.

Memory T cells:

  1. These T cells are antigen-specific and persist for a considerable amount of time after an infection has been treated.
  2. On exposure to the particular invading antigen, these cells are promptly transformed into a significant number of effector T cells, which offers a prompt response to the prior infection.

Regulatory T cells:

  1. Immunological tolerance is supported by regulatory T cells.
  2. This cell's primary function is to halt T cell-mediated immunity as the immune response comes to an end.

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