The humoral and cellular immune systems are the two main parts of the adaptive immune system. The humoral immune system is mainly controlled by the mass production of antibodies by B-cells. This part of the adaptive immune system is only effective against free floating pathogens. What viruses are replicating inside your own cells? This is where your cellular immunity comes into play. The cellular immune system is mainly controlled by Helper and Cytotoxic T-cells. It involves antigen-presentation by Class 1 and 2 MHC proteins. The class 1 proteins are located on all body cells (except for red blood cells). Class 2 proteins are located on immune cells only. When a cell is infected with a virus, it will display an antigen of the virus on a class 2 protein. Then a cytotoxic T-cell will come by and see the protein and will use perforins and granzymes to kill the cell.
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