Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

17.5K
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
17.5K
Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming01:29

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

2.9K
Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
2.9K
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

8.0K
Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
8.0K
General Transcription Factors01:30

General Transcription Factors

7.7K
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
7.7K
Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells01:32

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

2.3K
Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
2.3K
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

3.4K
When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
3.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Ets1 represses Blimp1 to promote germinal center T follicular helper cell differentiation during viral infection.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·2026
Same author

Identifying the master regulator Bcl6 and its archrival Blimp1 for T follicular helper lineage differentiation.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·2026
Same author

Dnmt3a-dependent de novo DNA methylation enforces lineage commitment and preserves functionality of memory Th1 and Tfh cells.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

BACH2 the future.

Nature immunology·2026
Same author

Guidelines for T cell nomenclature.

Nature reviews. Immunology·2025
Same author

Great "Tex"-pectations.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery
04:36

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery

Published on: May 21, 2012

44.1K

Memory CD8 T cell transcriptional plasticity.

Ben Youngblood1, J Scott Hale2, Rafi Ahmed2

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA ; Department of Immunology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-3678 USA.

F1000Prime Reports
|June 23, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Long-lived memory CD8 T cells provide lifelong immunity by maintaining effector functions without antigen exposure. Epigenetic programming may explain how these crucial immune cells retain their protective capabilities over decades.

More Related Videos

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
07:36

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice

Published on: June 12, 2021

7.9K
A DNA/Ki67-Based Flow Cytometry Assay for Cell Cycle Analysis of Antigen-Specific CD8 T Cells in Vaccinated Mice
09:17

A DNA/Ki67-Based Flow Cytometry Assay for Cell Cycle Analysis of Antigen-Specific CD8 T Cells in Vaccinated Mice

Published on: January 5, 2021

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery
04:36

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery

Published on: May 21, 2012

44.1K
Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
07:36

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice

Published on: June 12, 2021

7.9K
A DNA/Ki67-Based Flow Cytometry Assay for Cell Cycle Analysis of Antigen-Specific CD8 T Cells in Vaccinated Mice
09:17

A DNA/Ki67-Based Flow Cytometry Assay for Cell Cycle Analysis of Antigen-Specific CD8 T Cells in Vaccinated Mice

Published on: January 5, 2021

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Memory CD8 T cells are crucial for long-term protective immunity after viral infections or vaccinations.
  • These cells persist for life, maintaining readiness for rapid recall of effector functions.
  • This sustained immunity relies on cytokine-mediated homeostatic proliferation and retention of acquired properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss mechanisms underlying the acquisition and maintenance of transcriptional programs in memory CD8 T cells.
  • To explore the role of epigenetic programming in preserving the heterogeneity of memory CD8 T cell subsets.
  • To understand how memory CD8 T cells retain functional capacity for decades without antigen re-exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on T cell memory.
  • Discussion of molecular and cellular mechanisms of T cell programming.
  • Analysis of potential epigenetic contributions to T cell memory maintenance.

Main Results:

  • Memory CD8 T cells maintain acquired effector functions and transcriptional programs for extended periods.
  • Cytokine-mediated homeostatic proliferation is a key factor in sustaining memory T cell populations.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms are hypothesized to play a significant role in maintaining cellular heterogeneity and function.

Conclusions:

  • Memory CD8 T cells possess remarkable stability, retaining functional potential for decades.
  • Understanding these maintenance mechanisms, including epigenetic programming, is vital for enhancing vaccine efficacy and long-term immunity.
  • Further research into epigenetic regulation can reveal strategies to optimize T cell memory responses.