Question

Which of the following would most directly eliminate an intracellular pathogen such as a virus?

A. production of antibody
B. activation of B cells
C. activation of cytotoxic T cells
D. activation of helper T cells

Answer 1

Cytotoxic T cells are directly responsible for eliminating intracellular pathogens like viruses by recognizing and inducing apoptosis in infected cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Direct Elimination of Intracellular Pathogens

The most direct way to eliminate an intracellular pathogen such as a virus from infected cells is through the activation of cytotoxic T cells. Once activated, these cells recognize infected host cells by identifying viral epitopes presented on MHC I molecules. Upon recognition, cytotoxic T cells induce apoptosis in the infected cells, effectively destroying the pathogen within.

While other components of the immune system play crucial roles in the immune response, it is the cytotoxic T cells that specifically target and kill infected cells. This process is a key aspect of cell-mediated immunity, or cellular immunity, which is different from the humoral immunity that involves B cells and the production of antibodies.