Anti-viral protective capacity of tissue resident memory T cells.

It has become increasingly clear that a subset of T cells which persist at diverse infection sites, known as tissue-resident memory T cells (T), can mediate efficacious protective immunity against many types of viral infections. Recent studies have elucidated the mechanisms by which T coordinate enhanced viral clearance in different sites through rapid production of effector cytokines and cytolytic mediators, in situ expansion, differentiation to circulating effector cells, and immune cell recruitment. This tissue-localized response also includes enhancement at the local lymphoid sites which contribute to fortifying T-mediated protection. Understanding how these responses occur in a tissue-wide context will provide key insights for development of vaccines and therapeutics.