Cell state · L2
T.CD8_transitional.Trm_primed
3,088 cells in the full atlas (not the displayed sample).
These are the cell-population annotations shown in the SCREATE Cell Browser.
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Marker genes
CAPG, CD40LG, CD9, FXYD2, GNLY, HOPX, LGALS3, PHLDA1, TIMP1, TNFRSF18, ZNF683
Annotation genes
GNLY, HOPX, ZNF683
Annotation rationales
ZNF683 (Hobit) and HOPX are master regulators of tissue-resident CD8 T cell fate, enforcing tissue retention and survival. GNLY (granulysin) indicates cytotoxic effector potential. CD9 and LGALS3 (galectin-3) support adhesion, cell–cell interactions, and resistance to apoptosis in tissue environments. CD40LG suggests enhanced capacity to crosstalk with B cells and APCs during residency programming. This profile captures circulating cells on the verge of committing to Trm identity.
Functional implications
Represents the pre-resident transitional state, bridging circulating Tcm/Tem pools and long-lived tissue-resident memory. Functionally, these cells upregulate residency factors and adhesion molecules to embed into barrier sites (skin, gut, lung), while retaining immediate cytotoxic readiness (GNLY). They act as sentinel precursors, preparing to lock into tissues where they will provide frontline, long-term protection against reinfection or reactivation, orchestrating both local cytotoxicity and help to neighboring immune populations.
Marker and functional descriptions are atlas annotations. Explore gene expression, trait associations and regulatory elements in the interactive browsers; see the browser guide.