Ex vivo Human Antigen-specific T Cell Proliferation and Degranulation

Proliferative capacity and degranulation are important features of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. By combining tetramer staining with a CFSE staining, we were able to enumerate the total number of antigen-specific T cells, as well as their number of divisions upon antigen-specific stimulation during a week. In addition, we performed restimulation of these cells, to analyze their ability to secrete cytolytic granules, visualized by CD107a staining.