Heterogeneity and cell-fate decisions in effector and memory CD8+ T cell differentiation during viral infection.
Heterogeneity is a hallmark of the adaptive immune system. This is most evident in the enormous diversity of B and T cell antigen receptors. There is also heterogeneity within antiviral T cell populations, and subsets of effector and memory T cells now permeate our thinking about specialization of T cell responses to pathogens. It has been less clear, however, how heterogeneity in developing virus-specific effector and memory T cells is related to cell-fate decisions in the immune response, such as the generation long-lived memory T cells. Here we discuss recent findings that might help redefine how heterogeneity in antiviral T cell populations gives rise to T cell subsets with short- and long-lived cell fates.
Kaech
Susan M
SM
Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06437, USA. susan.kaech@yale.edu
Wherry
E John
EJ
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D018448:Models, Immunological; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*