Mechanisms of memory T Cell activation and effective immunity

Effective immunization induces the development of populations of robust effector lymphocytes specific for the immunizing antigens. Amongst them are cytotoxic/CD8⁺T lymphocytes, which few will further differentiate into longlived memory cells persisting in the host and exhibiting improved functional characteristics. The current model is that such memory cells can confer rapid host protection upon cognate antigen-mediated activation and direct killing of infected cells. In this chapter, we discuss work from our group and others that highlight the contribution of inflammatory cytokines to memory CD8⁺ T cell activation and of cytolysis-independent mechanisms of host protection.