What role do helper T cells play in the immune response?

Helper T cells play a crucial role in the immune response primarily by activating other immune cells. Once activated, these T cells, also known as CD4+ T cells, release cytokines that enhance the activity of various immune components, including B cells and cytotoxic T cells. This activation is essential for a robust immune response, as helper T cells orchestrate the activities of the entire immune system by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of B cells, which produce antibodies, and cytotoxic T cells, which are responsible for killing infected cells.

In contrast, destroying infected cells is the function of cytotoxic T cells, not helper T cells. While B cells are responsible for antibody production, helper T cells do not produce antibodies themselves. Memory cells, on the other hand, are derived from both B and T cells after an immune response has occurred to provide long-lasting immunity for future encounters with the same pathogen. Thus, the central role of helper T cells in facilitating the activation and coordination of other immune components is what distinguishes them in the immune response.