Figure 2: Dock^hsd/hsd virtual memory T cells arise in a cell-intrinsic manner following thymic egress.

(A) Bone marrow cells from either Dock2^hsd/hsd or WT mice were injected into irradiated Rag1^−/− mice. The spontaneous generation of memory CD8⁺ T cells (CD44^hi CD122^hi) was examined in the recipient mice at 12 weeks after cell transfer.

(B) CD44 levels on the Thy1.2⁺ CD8⁺ CD4⁻ single positive thymocytes from WT and Dock2-deficient mice.

(C) Levels of activation markers (CD25 and CD69) on splenic CD8⁺ T cells from WT and Dock2-deficient mice

(D) Percentage of Ki-67+ cells in the CD44^lo and CD44^hi CD8⁺ T cell compartments in WT and Dock2-deficient mice.

All experiments were performed twice in groups of 3 to 4 mice. Statistical significance was assessed using unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test.