Generation and maintenance of memory T cells.
Typical immune responses lead to the prominent clonal expansion of antigen-specific T cells followed by their differentiation into effector cells. Most effector cells die at the end of the immune response but some of the responding cells survive and form long-lived memory cells. The factors controlling the formation and survival of memory T cells are discussed. Recent evidence suggests that T memory cells arise from a subset of effector cells. The longevity of T memory cells may require continuous contact with cytokines, notably IL-15 for CD8(+) cells.
Department of Immunology, IMM4, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. jsprent@scripps.edu
J
J
Sprent
C D
CD
Surh
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*
D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens