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There are many types of T cells:

• Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+) destroy infected cells. These cells function as 'killer' or cytotoxic cells because they are able to destroy target cells which express specific antigens that they recognize.
• Helper T cells (CD4+) are "middlemen" in the immune response and proliferate to activate many other types of cells which act more directly in the response. CD4+ T cells regulate or 'help' other lymphocyte function. They are known as the target of HIV infection, and the decrease of CD4+ T cells results in AIDS.
• Suppressor T cells turn off the immune response once an antigen has been eliminated from the body.
• Regulatory T cells help to prevent the activation of self-reactive lymphocytes that destroy the body's own cells.

CD4 and CD8 refer to the characteristic antigens on the surface of the different sub-types of T-lymphocytes. These CD molecules are convenient diagnostic markers for identifying and quantitating these cells by flow cytometry using specific antibodies against them. T cell activity and secretions are frequently determined using the ELISPOTELISPOT is an immunological assay based on ELISA Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay . Basically, the difference between the two is that in ELISA, the substance containing the "unknown" is stuck at the bottom of the well, whereas in ELISPOT the substance wi technique.

1 See also

• White blood cellWhite blood cells (also called leukocytes or immune cells are a component of blood. They help to defend the body against infectious disease and foreign materials as part of the immune system. There are normally between 4x109 and 11x109 white blood cells i

2 External links

• PLOS Primer: Antigen-Specific T Cells: Analyses of the Needles in the Haystack
• T Cell Workshop, Research by the Immunology of Diabetes Society