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Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of Vδ1+CD4+γδ T Cells, an Extrathymic αβT-cell Progenitor
Published on: December 7, 2015
The descent of memory T cells
Carmen Gerlach1, Jeroen W J van Heijst, Ton N M Schumacher
1The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Department of Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 22, 2011
Summary
Immune responses shape T cell repertoires. New models suggest T cells adopt survival states, not fixed fates, during infection, influencing long-term memory cell generation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cellular Immunology
- T cell biology
Background:
- T cell repertoires are shaped by antigen encounters during infection.
- Pathogen infection selects specific T cells, leading to memory T cell formation for future protection.
- A key question is how long-lived memory T cells are generated versus short-lived T cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing models for memory T cell generation post-infection.
- To discuss experimental evidence supporting current hypotheses.
- To propose a new model for T cell fate determination during immune responses.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on T cell memory formation.
- Analysis of experimental data supporting different models.
- Development of a novel conceptual model based on current evidence.
Main Results:
- Existing models for T cell fate determination are discussed.
- Experimental evidence for these models is evaluated.
- A new model is proposed where T cells adopt survival states, not fixed fates.
Conclusions:
- T cell differentiation into memory or short-lived populations may not be a fixed fate.
- T cells exist in dynamic states reflecting survival probabilities.
- These states remain modifiable by external signals during immune responses.
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