Editing T cell (section)

====Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells====
{{Main|Cytotoxic T cell}}
[[File:Killer T cells surround a cancer cell.png|thumb|Superresolution image of a group of cytotoxic T cells surrounding a cancer cell]]

[[Cytotoxic T cell]]s (T<sub>C</sub> cells, CTLs, T-killer cells, killer T cells) destroy virus-infected cells and tumor cells, and are also implicated in [[Organ transplant|transplant]] rejection. These cells are defined by the expression of the [[CD8]] protein on their cell surface. Cytotoxic T cells recognize their targets by binding to short peptides (8-11 [[amino acid]]s in length) associated with [[MHC class I]] molecules, present on the surface of all nucleated cells. Cytotoxic T cells also produce the key cytokines IL-2 and IFNγ. These cytokines influence the effector functions of other cells, in particular macrophages and NK cells.