Common questions 

What is the difference between CD4 and CD8 T cells?

Jeremy Anderson

What is the difference between CD4 and CD8 T cells?

The main difference between CD4 and CD8 T cells is that the CD4 T cells are the helper T cells, which assist other blood cells to produce an immune response, whereas the CD8 T cells are the cytotoxic T cells that induce cell death either by lysis or apoptosis.

How are CD8 T cells produced?

CD8+ (cytotoxic) T cells, like CD4+ Helper T cells, are generated in the thymus and express the T-cell receptor. However, rather than the CD4 molecule, cytotoxic T cells express a dimeric co-receptor, CD8, usually composed of one CD8α and one CD8β chain.

What is the difference between CD4 and CD8?

What cytokines do CD8 T cells secrete?

CD8+ T cells mediate their effector functions through production of cytokines such as IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and/or by cytolytic mechanisms.

How do CD8 T cells get activated?

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    • What is the normal range for CD8?

    The normal range for CD8 is 150-1000 cells/mm3. CD8 counts tend to increase after HIV infection but also reduce after starting treatment. CD4 and CD8 cells are used by the immune system to attack and break down an infection.

    What activates CD8 cells?

    Galon,J. et al. Type,density,and location of immune cells within human colorectal tumors predict clinical outcome.

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    • What does CD8 count mean?

    What Does A High Cd8 Count Mean? An elevated CD8 cell count is associated with an increased risk of HIV treatment failure for patients who initially achieve an undetectable viral load, investigators from the US military report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.