title: Understanding memory CD8+T cells.
abstract: Memory CD8+T cells were originally thought to exist as two populations (effector and central memory). In recent years, a third population called resident memory T cells has been discovered and further to this these populations are being divided into different subtypes. Understanding the function and developmental pathways of memory CD8+T cells is key to developing effective therapies against cancer and infectious diseases. Here we have reviewed what is currently known about all three subsets of memory CD8+T populations and as to how each population was originally discovered and the developmental pathways of each subpopulation. Each memory population appears to play a distinct role in adaptive immune responses but we are still a long way from understanding how the populations are generated and what roles they play in protection against invading pathogens and if they contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, United States of America.
authors.forename: Tasleem
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samji
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, United States of America. Electronic address: kkhanna@uchc.edu.
authors.forename: Kamal M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Khanna
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation