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. 1994 Nov 1;180(5):1955–1960. doi: 10.1084/jem.180.5.1955

Early lymphocyte expansion is severely impaired in interleukin 7 receptor-deficient mice

PMCID: PMC2191751  PMID: 7964471

Abstract

Interleukin 7 (IL-7) stimulates the proliferation of B cell progenitors, thymocytes, and mature T cells through an interaction with a high affinity receptor (IL-7R) belonging to the hematopoietin receptor superfamily. We have further addressed the role of IL-7 and its receptor during B and T cell development by generating mice genetically deficient in IL-7R. Mutant mice display a profound reduction in thymic and peripheral lymphoid cellularity. Analyses of lymphoid progenitor populations in IL-7R-deficient mice define precisely those developmental stages affected by the mutation and reveal a critical role for IL-7R during early lymphoid development. Significantly, these studies indicate that the phase of thymocyte expansion occurring before the onset of T cell receptor gene rearrangement is critically dependent upon, and mediated by the high affinity receptor for IL-7.

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Selected References

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