Which type of granulocyte specializes in killing virus-infected cells?

• A. Basophil
• B. Eosinophil
• C. None; granulocytes do not specialize in killing virus-infected cells
• D. Neutrophil

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the types of granulocytes. Granulocytes are a category of white blood cells characterized by the presence of granules in their cytoplasm. The main types are neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils.
2. Step 2: Review the primary functions of each granulocyte type. Neutrophils mainly target bacteria and fungi, eosinophils are involved in combating parasitic infections and allergic responses, and basophils play a role in inflammatory reactions and release histamine.
3. Step 3: Recognize that killing virus-infected cells is typically the role of lymphocytes, specifically cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, which are not granulocytes but agranulocytes.
4. Step 4: Conclude that none of the granulocytes specialize in killing virus-infected cells, as this function is carried out by other immune cells outside the granulocyte category.
5. Step 5: Therefore, the correct understanding is that granulocytes do not specialize in killing virus-infected cells, which aligns with the provided answer.