cytotoxic T cell

noun

variants or less commonly cytotoxic T lymphocyte

plural cytotoxic T cells also cytotoxic T lymphocytes

: a T cell that usually bears CD8 molecular markers on its surface and that functions in cell-mediated immunity by destroying a cell (such as a virus-infected cell) having a specific antigenic molecule displayed on its surface

Viruses use many tricks to persist in an immunocompetent host, one of them being mutation of the sequences (epitopes) recognized by the host's viral-specific cytotoxic T cells.

—Rolf M. Zinkernagel and Hans Hengartner

… cytotoxic T cells which recognize foreign determinants in association with class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens.

—Pauline Johnson et al.

called also cytolytic T cell, killer T cell

Examples of cytotoxic T cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Study 1 The researchers looked closely at key cancer-killing immune cells called CD8+ T cells, also known as cytotoxic T cells. —New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cytotoxic T cell

• antiparallel
• antipersonnel
• bagatelle
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• citadel
• clientele
• commonweal
• decibel
• demoiselle
• fontanelle

Medical Definition

cytotoxic T cell

noun

variants also cytotoxic T lymphocyte

: a T cell that usually bears CD8 molecular markers on its surface and that functions in cell-mediated immunity by destroying a cell (as a virus-infected cell) having a specific antigenic molecule on its surface

Viruses use many tricks to persist in an immunocompetent host, one of them being mutation of the sequences (epitopes) recognized by the host's viral-specific cytotoxic T cells.

—Rolf M. Zinkernagel and Hans Hengartner

called also CTL, cytolytic T cell, cytolytic T lymphocyte, killer T cell, killer T lymphocyte

compare helper t cell, suppressor t cell