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Factors controlling the turnover of T memory cells
Author(s) -
Sprent Jonathan,
Tough David F.,
Sun Siquan
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1997.tb00960.x
Subject(s) - biology , cytotoxic t cell , immunology , immune system , il 2 receptor , antigen , interleukin 21 , cd8 , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen presenting cell , t cell , in vitro , genetics
Summary: Most of the T cells participating in the primary immune response are rapidly eliminated, but small numbers of these cells survive and differentiate into long‐lived memory cells. Information on the life history of memory cells can be obtained by studying the component of memory‐phenotype T cells found in normal animals; these cells are presumed to represent memory cells specific for various environmental antigens. For CD8 + cells, in vivo exposure to viruses and certain other infectious agents causes a large proportion of memory‐phenotype (CD44 hi ) cells to enter the cell cycle. In this situation, stimulation of CD44 hi CD8 + cells does not seem to require T‐cell receptor ligation and appears to reflect release of various cytokines, especially type I interferon. The capacity of infectious agents to induce non‐antigen‐specific stimulation of T cells may play a role in boosting the survival of memory cells and perhaps also in providing an adjuvant function during the primary response.