Fig. 7: A model for CD8+ T cell immune dynamics in recovered COVID-19 patients.
From: Dynamics of TCR repertoire and T cell function in COVID-19 convalescent individuals
a The minor clones of CD8+ T cells in HD group were the immune surveillance cells with high clonal expansion level and low TCR diversity. b CD8+ T cells of Discharged group were minor clones with low clonal expansion but high TCR diversity, which displayed powerful defending and cytotoxicity effects via interferon- and granzyme-related genes’ expression. c In the Follow-up group, CD8+ T cells remained a few minor clones of cytotoxicity and large clones with active metabolic reprogramming. Different colors of T cells represent they are from different clones. Weapons and shields on T cells represent that T cells express functional genes for killing the infected cell and defending themselves from SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively.
