Final answer:
The protein on the surface of the cytotoxic T cell that acts as a membrane-bound variant of TNFa is the T cell receptor (TCR). It plays a crucial role in the immune response by helping T cells recognize and respond to infected cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The protein on the surface of the cytotoxic T cell that is a membrane-bound variant of TNFa is known as the T cell receptor (TCR).
This receptor is a protein dimer embedded in the plasma membrane and is crucial for T cell activation. When a cytotoxic T cell, also known as a Tc cell, interacts with the MHC I-epitope complex on an infected cell, it can produce granzymes and perforins that induce apoptosis in the target cells.
TNFa is a key cytokine involved in most acute inflammatory responses, acting as a soluble, short-range communication molecule between cells. The TCR plays a critical role by projecting variable binding regions into the extracellular space to bind processed antigens presented by MHC molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APCs).