Final answer:
MHC tetramers are used to track specific T cell populations within an organism by utilizing the critical role of MHC molecules in the adaptive immune system for antigen presentation to T cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
MHC tetramers are a tool used in immunology to detect and follow specific T cell populations within an organism, making option A the correct choice for the given question. These tetramers are complexes of four MHC molecules bound to a specific peptide. MHC molecules, including MHC I and MHC II, are critical for the adaptive immune system. They present antigens to T cells, which have specific T-cell receptors (TCR) for antigen recognition. While MHC I molecules are found on all nucleated cells and present to CD8+ T cells, MHC II molecules are expressed only on professional antigen-presenting cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells, and present to CD4+ T cells.