Interleukin-7 receptor alpha is essential for the development of gamma delta + T cells, but not natural killer cells.
Mice that lack a functional gamma c subunit of the receptors for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15 display profound defects in lymphoid development. The IL-7/IL-7R system represents a critical interaction for conventional T and B cell development. In this report, the role of IL-7R alpha in the development of lymphoid lineages other than conventional T and B cells was examined. We demonstrate that gamma delta + T cells were absent in IL-7R alpha-deficient mice, whereas the development and function of natural killer cells were normal. Thus, IL-7R alpha function is required for the development of gamma delta + T cells but not natural killer cells.
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Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA.
Malek
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D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000502:physiology*; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7