title: The light and dark sides of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes.
abstract: The intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) that reside within the epithelium of the intestine form one of the main branches of the immune system. As IELs are located at this critical interface between the core of the body and the outside environment, they must balance protective immunity with an ability to safeguard the integrity of the epithelial barrier: failure to do so would compromise homeostasis of the organism. In this Review, we address how the unique development and functions of intestinal IELs allow them to achieve this balance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. hilde@liai.org
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheroutre
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lambolez
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mucida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological