Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026
07:27
Transcriptome Analysis of Single Cells
Published on: April 25, 2011
30.6K
Single-cell transcriptome analysis of CD8 + T-cell memory inflation
Andrew J Highton1, Madeleine E Zinser1, Lian Ni Lee1
1Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX13SY, UK.
Wellcome Open Research
|August 27, 2019
Summary
Persistent viruses and vaccines create unique CD8+ T-cell memory, known as memory inflation. This study maps the distinct gene expression differentiating spleen and gut T-cell memory, crucial for mucosal immunity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Transcriptomics
Background:
- Persistent viruses like murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and adenovirus vaccines induce sustained CD8+ T-cell responses termed memory inflation.
- These memory T-cells maintain functionality, migrate to peripheral organs, and exhibit a unique transcriptional profile.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the transcriptional mechanisms underlying CD8+ T-cell memory inflation at different anatomical sites.
- To compare virus-specific T-cell populations in the spleen and gut intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IEL) of MCMV-infected mice.
Main Methods:
- Utilized single-cell RNA sequencing on tetramer-sorted cells from MCMV-infected mice.
- Analyzed transcriptional networks within virus-specific CD8+ T-cell populations from the spleen and gut IEL.
Main Results:
- Generated a comprehensive transcriptional map of T-cell memory.
- Identified a distinct gene expression module differentiating splenic memory inflation from gut resident memory T-cells (T_RM).
Conclusions:
- CD8+ T-cell memory in the gut epithelium exhibits a unique quality compared to conventional and inflationary memory.
- These findings may hold significance for developing strategies to enhance protection against mucosal infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:23System of Memory
7.2K
Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...
7.2K
01:24Working Memory
823
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
823
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
14.6K
Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
14.6K
01:18Long-Term Memory
659
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
659
01:20Traumatic Memory
556
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
556
01:16Repressed Memory
499
Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
499