What are the differences between naïve and effector T cells?
Posted November 16, 2023
Answer
Naive T cells:
- Are T cells that are differentiated and have been released by the thymus but have not yet encountered their corresponding antigens
- Are considered immature and inactivated
- Undergo activation by antigen-presenting cells (APCs)
- Occur in the lymphoid tissue
Effector T cells:
- Are T cells that develop from naive T cells after having encountered their corresponding antigens
- Are considered mature and activated
- Arise in non-lymphoid tissue
- Secrete cytokines that support activation of B and T cell, induce regulatory lymphocytes, and activate innate leukocytes
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