What cell stimulates immune cells to attack?

A. Helper T cells
B. Cytotoxic T cells

helper t cell

helper t

The cell that stimulates immune cells to attack is the Helper T cell. To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the roles of these two types of cells and how they interact in the immune response.

Helper T cells, also known as CD4+ T cells, play a crucial role in coordinating and regulating the immune response. When an antigen (foreign invader) enters the body, it is recognized by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as macrophages or dendritic cells. The APCs engulf the antigen and present fragments of it on their surface using a protein called major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II).

At this point, Helper T cells come into play. They interact with the APCs, specifically recognizing and binding to the antigen-MHC II complex. This interaction triggers the activation of the Helper T cell. Once activated, Helper T cells release chemical messengers called cytokines, which signal other immune cells to participate in the immune response.

One of the essential functions of Helper T cells is to stimulate cytotoxic T cells (also known as CD8+ T cells) to attack infected cells. Cytotoxic T cells are responsible for directly killing the infected cells. However, they require activation and guidance from Helper T cells.

Therefore, the answer to the question is A. Helper T cells stimulate immune cells, including cytotoxic T cells, to attack infected cells.