Some germs, like viruses, hide inside your own cells. Killer T cells are the defenders that can find those sick cells and stop them.
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Cytotoxic T cells are also called killer T cells. They are a kind of white blood cell. They are small and round, with a big nucleus.
Inside they carry little packets called granules. These hold special proteins that can stop a sick cell.
Scientists also call them CD8 cells, after a tag on their outside.
Your cells hold up little bits of what is inside them, like ID tags. A killer T cell checks these tags.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Find the sick cell, then Release the granules.
After a fight, some killer T cells become memory cells. If the same virus comes back, your body can stop it much faster.
By Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. Good for older kids.
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