What is a cytotoxic cell?
Cytotoxic T cells are effector cells that destroy virus-infected cells, tumor cells, and tissue grafts that exist in the cytosol, or contiguous nuclear compartment. The cells are also known as CD8+ T cells as they express the CD8 glycoprotein at their surfaces and are associated with MHC class I molecules.
What does cytotoxic mean biology?
Cytotoxic refers to a substance or process which results in cell damage or cell death. The prefix “cyto” refers to cell and “toxic” to poison. The term is often used to describe chemotherapy drugs that kill cancer cells, but it may also be used to describe toxins, such as venom.
What is the function of cytotoxic?
A cytotoxic T cell (CD8+ T cell) is a type of lymphocyte responsible for eliminating substances the immune system identifies as harmful. Cytotoxic T cells play a critical role in limiting infections and bacteria in the body.
What do plasma cells do?
Plasma cells are differentiated B-lymphocyte white blood cells capable of secreting immunoglobulin, or antibody. These cells play a significant role in the adaptive immune response, namely, being the main cells responsible for humoral immunity.
What are cytotoxic agents?
Listen to pronunciation. (SY-toh-TOK-sik AY-jent) A substance that kills cells, including cancer cells. These agents may stop cancer cells from dividing and growing and may cause tumors to shrink in size.
What is cytotoxicity in immunology?
The mechanism by which the immune system destroys or damages foreign or abnormal cells. Immunologic cytotoxicity may lead to complete loss of viability of the target cells (cytolysis) or an inhibition of the ability of the cells to continue growing (cytostasis).
What is cytotoxicity in animal cell culture?
In a nutshell, cell cytotoxicity refers to the ability of certain chemicals or mediator cells to destroy living cells. By using a cytotoxic compound, healthy living cells can either be induced to undergo necrosis (accidental cell death) or apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Is erlotinib cytotoxic?
Pretreatment with erlotinib exerted the least profound cytotoxic effect, whereas the administration of cytotoxic drugs followed by erlotinib exhibited the most potent cytotoxic effects.
What is the job of a cytotoxic T cell?
A cytotoxic T cell (also known as T C, cytotoxic T lymphocyte, CTL, T-killer cell, cytolytic T cell, CD8+ T-cell or killer T cell) is a T lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) that kills cancer cells, cells that are infected (particularly with viruses), or cells that are damaged in other ways.. Most cytotoxic T cells express T-cell receptors (TCRs) that can recognize a specific antigen.
What are the functions of helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells?
In immune system: Helper-T-cell activation Helper T cells do not directly kill infected cells, as cytotoxic T cells do. Instead they help activate cytotoxic T cells and macrophages to attack infected cells, or they stimulate B cells to secrete antibodies.
What is cell cytotoxicity?
In a nutshell, cell cytotoxicity refers to the ability of certain chemicals or mediator cells to destroy living cells.
What can cytotoxic T cells produce?
Cytotoxic T-cells produce the cytotoxic proteins perforin and granzymes.