Pharma IQ Glossary: T-Cell (T-lymphocyte)

A T-Cell (T-lymphocyte) belongs to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and plays a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocyte types, such as B cells and natural killer cells (NK cells) by the presence of a special receptor on their cell surface called T cell receptors (TCR). The abbreviation T, in T cell, stands for thymus, since this is the principal organ responsible for the T cell's maturation.