Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Measuring Mitochondrial Function of Naïve and Effector CD8 T Cells
Published on: March 28, 2025
Lymphocyte Fate and Metabolism: A Clonal Balancing Act
Simone A Nish1, Wen-Hsuan W Lin1, Steven L Reiner1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Abstract:
Activated lymphocytes perform a clonal balancing act, yielding a daughter cell that differentiates owing to intense PI3K signaling, alongside a self-renewing sibling cell with blunted anabolic signaling. Divergent cellular anabolism versus catabolism is emerging as a feature of several developmental and regenerative paradigms. Metabolism can dictate cell fate, in part, because lineage-specific regulators are embedded in the circuitry of conserved metabolic switches. Unequal transmission of PI3K signaling during regenerative divisions is reminiscent of compartmentalized PI3K activity during directed motility or polarized information flow in non-dividing cells. The diverse roles of PI3K pathways in membrane traffic, cell polarity, metabolism, and gene expression may have converged to instruct sibling cell feast and famine, thereby enabling clonal differentiation alongside self-renewal.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Special Features of Adaptive Immunity
The primary cell types involved in adaptive immunity are T cells and B cells. Each type has a unique role in defending the body against pathogens. T cells are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. They identify and eliminate infected cells directly,...
Functions of the Lymphatic and Immune System
The primary lymphoid organs, including the bone marrow and the thymus, serve as the maturation sites for lymphocytes. Secondary lymphoid organs, like the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, activate these lymphocytes and serve as...
Lineage Commitment

