In dogs, cutaneous lymphoma is most often characterized by which type of lymphocyte?

Cutaneous lymphoma in dogs is primarily characterized by the involvement of CD8+ T-cells. This type of lymphoma often presents as a skin lesion that can be multifocal or generalized and is typically associated with a neoplastic proliferation of these cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.

The presence of CD8+ T-cells in cutaneous lymphoma indicates that these lymphocytes are often the predominant cell type responsible for the tumor's pathology. CD8+ T-cells are critical players in the immune response, especially in killing virally infected cells and tumor cells. Understanding this aspect helps clarify the immunological landscape of canine cutaneous lymphoma and informs treatment strategies.

While other options represent different cell types involved in various immune responses, they are not the characteristic feature of cutaneous lymphoma in dogs. B-lymphocytes are more commonly associated with certain types of lymphoid tumors, while CD4+ T-cells are helper cells that assist other immune functions but do not typically dominate in cutaneous lymphoma. Natural killer cells have a role in the innate immune response and are not the primary lymphocyte involved in this particular type of lymphoma. Therefore, the identification of CD8+ T-cells as the hallmark lymphocyte aligns with the current understanding of cutaneous lymphoma in