Immune System Practice Test

Immunological memory rests in long-lived memory cells that respond rapidly upon re-exposure. The T cell side has its own memory population, memory T cells, which persist after the initial encounter and can quickly proliferate and become active effector cells again when the same antigen is encountered. This mirrors memory B cells in that both maintain a faster, more robust response on re-exposure, but for the cellular arm of the immune system. Cytotoxic T cells are primarily the immediate effectors that kill infected cells during the first wave of a response, rather than the long-term memory responders. Helper T cells coordinate and assist other immune cells during the response but are not defined by the memory function in the same way. Suppressor (regulatory) T cells regulate or dampen immune responses to prevent overactivity, not maintain memory. Thus, memory T cells best fit the role of a T cell derivative with a function similar to memory B cells.