title: The origin of diversity: studying the evolution of multi-faceted CD8+ T cell responses.
abstract: During the past two decades of research in T cell biology, an increasing number of distinct T cell subsets arising during the transition from naïve to antigen-experienced T cells have been identified. Recently, it has been appreciated that, in different experimental settings, distinct T cell subsets can be generated in parallel within the same immune response. While signals driving a single "lineage" path of T cell differentiation are becoming increasingly clear, it remains largely enigmatic how the phenotypic and functional diversification creating a multi-faceted T cell response is achieved. Here, we review current literature indicating that diversification is a stable trait of CD8(+) T cell responses. We showcase novel technologies providing deeper insights into the process of diversification among the descendants of individual T cells, and introduce two models that emphasize either intrinsic noise or extrinsic signals as driving forces behind the diversification of single cell-derived T cell progeny populations in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University Munich (TUM), Trogerstrasse 30, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Veit R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gräf
authors.forename: Dirk H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Busch
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation