What is the difference between helper T cells and regulatory T cells?

Helper T cells:

• Are a specific type of immune cells responsible for activating other immune cells and coordinating immune responses
• Produce a variety of cytokines depending on their subset
• May develop into specific subsets depending on the cytokine environment and signals received during antigen presentation
• Differentiated into 2 types – Th1 cells, which are involved in the defense against intracellular pathogens such as viruses and certain bacteria and Th2 cells, which coordinate antibody responses against extracellular pathogens such as parasites and allergens
• Main functions involve activating immune cells and regulating immune responses

Regulatory T cells

• Are a specialized subset of T lymphocytes that play a main role in maintaining immune tolerance and preventing excessive immune responses 
• Produce immunosuppressive cytokines such as interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor beta
• May develop as two distinct subsets- natural Tregs and induced Tregs
• Differentiated into two types – Natural Tregs, which develop in the thymus during T cell maturation and Induced Tregs, which are generated in the periphery from conventional CD4+ T cells and typically induced by exposure to specific conditions
• Main function is to suppress immune responses and maintain immune tolerance