What is the Difference Between T Helper and T Cytotoxic Cells?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚T helper (Th) cells and cytotoxic T cells (also known as killer T cells or Tc cells) are two main types of T cells that play crucial roles in the immune system. The key difference between them lies in their functions:
- Helper T Cells:
- Play a central role in coordinating and activating the immune response.
- Stimulate B cells to produce antibodies and help killer cells develop.
- Can differentiate into either TH1 or TH2 effector cells, depending on the cytokines in their environment.
- TH1 cells activate macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, and B cells, while TH2 cells mainly activate B cells.
- Cytotoxic T Cells:
- Directly kill cells that have already been infected by foreign invaders, such as viruses and tumor cells.
- Do not kill cells directly; instead, they send signals that tell other cells in the immune system how to respond.
- Unlike helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells do not help B cells produce antibodies.
Both helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells are essential components of the adaptive immune system, working together to protect the body from infections and diseases.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between T Helper and T Cytotoxic Cells? Comparative Table: T Helper vs T Cytotoxic Cells
Comparative Table: T Helper vs T Cytotoxic Cells
T helper cells and T cytotoxic cells are two main types of T cells that play crucial roles in the immune system. Here is a table highlighting the differences between them:
| Feature | T Helper Cells | T Cytotoxic Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Coordinate immune responses and activate other immune cells. | Directly kill cancer cells, virus-infected cells, and other damaged cells. |
| Activation | Activate B cells, macrophages, and other T cells. | Kill infected cells without activation from helper T cells. |
| Role in Immune Response | Part of the adaptive immunity, involved in cell-mediated immunity. | Part of the cell-mediated immunity, involved in direct targeting and killing of infected cells. |
| Cell Membrane Destruction | Do not directly destroy cell membranes. | Directly destroy the cell membranes of infected cells. |
| Cytokines | Use cytokines as messenger molecules to send chemical instructions to other immune cells. | Can kill infected cells without the help of cytokines. |
Both T helper cells and T cytotoxic cells are essential components of the immune system, playing different roles to protect the body against various infections and diseases.
Read more:
- TH1 vs TH2 Helper Cells
- T Cells vs B Cells
- Antibodies vs T Cells
- T Lymphocytes vs B Lymphocytes
- Memory T Cells vs Memory B Cells
- B Cell vs T Cell Lymphoma
- Phagocytes vs Lymphocytes
- CD4 Cells vs CD8 Cells
- Naive vs Effector T Cells
- B Cell Receptor vs T Cell Receptor
- B Cell vs T Cell Leukemia
- Positive vs Negative Selection of T Cells
- Cytotoxicity vs Genotoxicity
- NK Cells vs NKT Cells
- CAR-T vs TCR-T
- T Cell Dependent vs Independent Antigens
- Cytotoxic vs Cytostatic Drugs
- Humoral vs Cell Mediated Immunity
- Lymphocytes vs Leucocytes