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Innate Lymphoid Cells pp 1–6Cite as

Protocols for Innate Lymphoid Cell Phenotypic and Functional Characterization: An Overview

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2121))

Abstract

The innate immune system forms a first line of defense against infections and is an essential component in immune defense prior to the generation of sustained adaptive immune responses. Until recently this innate response was believed to be predominantly elicited by cells of myeloid origin. The last 10 years have seen the discovery of an extensive family of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) characterized by the ability to express cytokines, traditionally associated with activated T effector cells, and lack of expression of antigen receptors.

ILCs are enriched at barrier surfaces and rapidly respond to alarmins within the tissue microenvironment. ILCs lack recombinant activating gene (RAG)-dependent rearranged receptors, lack myeloid and dendritic cell lineage defining factors, and possess lymphoid morphology. The first characterized innate lymphoid cells were natural killer cells (NK) cells and lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells. NK cells, defined in 1975), mediate important early antigen independent immune responses. By contrast, LTi cells, defined in 1997, are vital for formation of lymph nodes during embryogenesis. In the past decade, research on ILCs has defined them as important regulators of barrier immunity. However, ILC phenotype and functional characterization is complex and requires highly specific protocols for delineating ILC specific function from other well-characterized immune cells. Within this book, each chapter provides an in-depth protocol that will expand on techniques used by laboratories to study ILC development, characterization and function in mice and humans.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Arian Laurence for his critical reading and comments on the manuscript. We would like to thank the Academy of Medical Sciences, Springboard Award [SBF003\1129] sponsored by the Wellcome Trust and Newcastle University Research Fellowship for supporting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of T Cell Regulation, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

    Shoba Amarnath

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  1. Shoba Amarnath
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Correspondence to Shoba Amarnath .

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  1. Laboratory of T cell Regulation, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

    Shoba Amarnath

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Amarnath, S. (2020). Protocols for Innate Lymphoid Cell Phenotypic and Functional Characterization: An Overview. In: Amarnath, S. (eds) Innate Lymphoid Cells . Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2121. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0338-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0338-3_1

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-0337-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-0338-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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