Peripheral tissue surveillance and residency by memory T cells

T cell immunity has long been described in terms of two circulating memory populations. Central memory T (T-CM) cells migrate between the secondary lymphoid organs and are capable of mounting a recall proliferative response on pathogen re-encounter, whereas effector memory T (T-EM) cells traffic between blood and extra-lymphoid compartments for effective peripheral immune surveillance. It is now clear that there exists a third category of memory cells that never returns to the circulation. These tissue-resident memory T (T-RM) cells are phenotypically distinct from T-EM cells, persist in elevated numbers in areas involved in prior infection and have been implicated in various immune phenomena, such as the control of persisting infections and immune disorders in fixed regions of the body.