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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Jul 30.
Published in final edited form as: Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2016 Jul 30;327:195–261. doi: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.06.004

Figure 8. Dynamics of T cell asymmetric cell division and clonal expansion.

Figure 8

The activation of a naive T cell (stage 1) involves the asymmetric sharing of some cell determinants during its first division (stage 2). This asymmetry defines the generation of two different subsets: a prememory and a preeffector daughter cell. The preeffector undergoes a burst of proliferation (clonal expansion) to respond against a specific threat. The prememory cell maturates into a quiescent pool of cells ready to respond to the specific antigen that promoted their differentiation. This pool of cells can asymmetrically divide again in case of reinfection.