Induction Mechanisms of Memory T Cells

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Naive T cells proliferate and differentiate into memory cells after antigenic stimulation or in a lymphopenic environment. We showed here transient increases in memory phenotype CD8^+ T cell numbers in the lymphopenic environment of spleens of very young mice. The magnitude of the increase correlated with Bcl-6 expression in the T cells. Bcl-6 controlled the generation and maintenance of antigen-specific memory phenotype CD8^+ T cells in the spleens of immunized mice. These data suggest that Bcl-6, which is also essential for memory B cell development in germinal centers, is a key molecule for the establishment not only of memory T cells but also of the peripheral T cell compartment in infancy.