CD4+ cell memory: the enigma of Th1 cells

Despite a wealth of information pertaining to functional and phenotypic attributes of memory CD4(+) cells, the mechanisms that underlie the generation and persistence of memory in this subset are largely unknown. Recent work suggests that the development of memory might be differently regulated in T-helper-1 and T-helper-2 cells, owing to differences in their susceptibility to cell death. These studies support a new paradigm, in which memory T cells are heterogeneous in terms of their stage of maturation and function as well as mechanisms of homeostatic control.