T cell facts for kids

A diagram showing the activation of T cells.

A T cell is a type of lymphocyte, a white blood cell.

It plays an important role in the immune system by attacking virus-infected cells, foreign cells, and cancer cells. The "T" in T cell stands for thymus. The thymus is where T cells mature.

Types

• Cytotoxic T cells (T_c cells)

• Helper T cells, (T_h cells)

• Regulatory T cells (T_reg cells), used to be called suppressor T cells

• Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells)

• γδ T cells

See also

In Spanish: Linfocito T para niños