<P> A cytotoxic T cell (also known as T, cytotoxic T lymphocyte, CTL, T - killer cell, cytolytic T cell, CD8+ T - cell or killer T cell) is a T lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) that kills cancer cells, cells that are infected (particularly with viruses), or cells that are damaged in other ways . </P> <P> Most cytotoxic T cells express T - cell receptors (TCRs) that can recognize a specific antigen . An antigen is a molecule capable of stimulating an immune response, and is often produced by cancer cells or viruses . Antigens inside a cell are bound to class I MHC molecules, and brought to the surface of the cell by the class I MHC molecule, where they can be recognized by the T cell . If the TCR is specific for that antigen, it binds to the complex of the class I MHC molecule and the antigen, and the T cell destroys the cell . </P>

What is the role of cytotoxic t cells