Definition

Noun: An immune response, primarily directed against viral infections, fungal invasions, or transplanted tissue, that is carried out by immune cells, specifically T lymphocytes (T cells), rather than by antibodies circulating in the blood.

Usage

This term is used in immunology and medicine to describe a specific type of adaptive immune defense. It is a technical term. * The body's cell-mediated immune response is crucial for fighting intracellular pathogens like viruses. * Rejection of a transplanted organ is primarily due to the recipient's cell-mediated immune response against the foreign tissue.

Advanced Usage

• The cell-mediated immune response can be assessed through a skin test, such as the tuberculin test for tuberculosis.
• Immunodeficiency diseases can impair the cell-mediated immune response, leaving individuals highly susceptible to opportunistic infections.

Variants and Related Words

• Cell-mediated immunity (CMI): Often used interchangeably with "cell-mediated immune response," though "immunity" can imply the overall protective state, while "response" refers to the specific reactive event.
• Humoral immune response: The complementary arm of the adaptive immune system, mediated by B cells and antibodies.

Synonyms

• Cellular immune response
• T-cell-mediated response

Antonyms

• Humoral immune response
• Antibody-mediated response

Noun

1. an immune response (chiefly against viral or fungal invasions or transplanted tissue) that involves T cells