Cytotoxic T lymphocyte
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (pronunciation: sy-toh-TOX-ik T lim-foh-sites), also known as CTLs or killer T cells, are a type of T cell that play a key role in the immune system's response to pathogens and cancer cells.
Etymology
The term "cytotoxic" is derived from the Greek words "kytos" meaning "cell" and "toxicos" meaning "poison". "Lymphocyte" comes from the Greek "lympho" meaning "clear, transparent" and "kytos" meaning "cell".
Function
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes are responsible for identifying and destroying cells that have been infected by viruses or have become cancerous. They do this by recognizing specific antigens on the surface of the infected or cancerous cell and releasing cytotoxic granules that induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Related Terms
- T cell: A type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the immune system.
- Immune system: The body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders.
- Pathogen: A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
- Cancer: A group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
- Antigen: A substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign and mounts an immune response against.
- Apoptosis: The process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cytotoxic T lymphocyte
- Wikipedia's article - Cytotoxic T lymphocyte
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