Transcriptional regulation of effector and memory CD8+ T cell fates

Immunity to intracellular pathogens and cancer relies on the generation of robust CD8(+) T cell effector responses as well as the establishment of immunological memory. During a primary immune response CD8(+) T cells experience diverse extracellular environmental cues and cell-cell interactions that trigger downstream transcriptional programs ultimately guiding a CD8(+) T cell to undertake either an effector or a memory cell fate. Here, we discuss our current understanding of the signaling pathways and transcriptional networks that regulate effector and memory commitment in CD8(+) T lymphocytes.