Why is it that when these helper T cells are destroyed our immune system becomes so weak? So we have many, many different types of white blood cells in our body and helper T cells are only one of these different types of white blood cells. So what exactly makes the helper T cells so special? Well, it turns out that helper T cells are the cells that oversee all the different types of processes that take place inside our immune system. And they essentially allow that immune system to function effectively and efficiently. And although they do not attack pathogens directly what they do is they bind onto T lymphocytes and they induce the differentiation of these T lymphocytes into other specialized white blood cells such as cytotoxic t cells that are important in fighting off infections and infected cells.