Final answer:
Cytotoxic T cells, also known as killer T cells, are a type of white blood cell that kill infected cells in the body. When a pathogenic virus enters your own cells, the CD8 cytotoxic T cells recognize the infected cells and release toxins to destroy them.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cytotoxic T cells, also known as killer T cells, are a type of white blood cell that target and kill infected cells in the body. When a pathogenic virus enters your own cells, the CD8 cytotoxic T cells recognize the infected cells through the presentation of pathogen-specific epitopes associated with MHC I molecules. Once the infected cell is recognized, the cytotoxic T cells release toxins, such as perforin and granzymes, which destroy the infected cell and the viruses inside.