Cell-mediated immunity

The cellular immune response describes the part of the adaptive immune response that is mediated by cytotoxic T cells.

After contact with an intracellular antigen all nucleus -containing cells can break this antigen in short peptides of eight to eleven amino acids and present in their major histocompatibility complex type 1 ( MHC1 ). This complex is CD8 and the T-cell receptor on T- killer cells (more specifically cytotoxic T cell) bound. If an additional signal is added, e.g. by a costimulator or cytokines ( interferon- γ and V. A. Interleukin- 2), and the cytotoxic T cell secretes perforin, which perforates the cell membrane of the bound presenting cell. This also granzyme B is secreted, the digested as protease bound cell.

The cellular immune response is enhanced by phagocytes, natural killer cells and T -helper cells type 1.