Human CD8⁺ T_EM and T_CM cells display distinct effector properties. Day 7 cytokine-polarized cells were assessed for surface marker and cytokine expression. (A) Cells were gated on live CD8⁺ cells, and perforin and granzyme B levels were assessed. Cells were gated on either granzyme B single-positive cells (magenta) or perforin–granzyme B double-positive cells (orange) and examined for CCR7 and CXCR3 expression (bottom panels). (B) Live CD8⁺ cells were gated through either CCR7^high, CD127^high cells (magenta) or CCR7 and CD127^low cells (orange) and assessed for perforin and granzyme B expression (bottom panels). (C) PMA- and ionomycin-activated cells were gated on either CCR7^low/CXCR3^low (i, black), CCR7^high/CXCR3^low (ii, magenta), CCR7^high/CXCR3^high (iii, teal), or CCR7^low/CXCR3^high (iv, orange), and examined for IFN-γ expression by intracellular staining (right panel).