Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Generation of Lymph Node-fat Pad Chimeras for the Study of Lymph Node Stromal Cell Origin
09:10

Generation of Lymph Node-fat Pad Chimeras for the Study of Lymph Node Stromal Cell Origin

Published on: December 16, 2013

Signal via lymphotoxin-beta R on bone marrow stromal cells is required for an early checkpoint of NK cell development

Q Wu1, Y Sun, J Wang

  • 1Department of Pathology and Neurology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.

Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|February 13, 2001
PubMed

Insights

The development of Natural Killer (NK) cells is crucial for immunity. This study reveals that Lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTbetaR) signaling on bone marrow stromal cells is essential for early NK cell development.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Natural Killer (NK) cells are vital immune components.
  • Early NK cell development mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha (LTalpha) and its receptor (LTbetaR) knockout models exhibit reduced NK cell populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of lymphotoxin signaling in early NK cell development.
  • To identify the cellular and molecular requirements for NK cell generation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized LTalpha(-/-) and LTbetaR(-/-) mice to study NK cell development.
  • Co-cultured bone marrow or fetal liver cells with stromal cells in vitro.
  • Activated LTbetaR-expressing bone marrow stromal cells directly.
  • Administered LTbetaR-Ig to block LT/LTbetaR interaction in vivo.

Main Results:

  • NK cell development occurred efficiently when LTalpha(-/-) or LTbetaR(-/-) cells were cultured with wild-type stromal cells, but not with LTalpha(-/-) or LTbetaR(-/-) stromal cells.
  • Direct activation of LTbetaR-expressing stromal cells enhanced early NK cell development in vitro.
  • Blocking LT/LTbetaR interaction in adult wild-type mice impaired NK cell development in vivo.

Conclusions:

  • The signaling pathway involving Lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTbetaR) on bone marrow stromal cells, mediated by membrane Lymphotoxin (LT), is critical for early NK cell development.
  • LTbetaR signaling on stromal cells is a key regulator of NK cell homeostasis.

More Related Videos

A Novel Feeder-free System for Mass Production of Murine Natural Killer Cells In Vitro10:36

A Novel Feeder-free System for Mass Production of Murine Natural Killer Cells In Vitro

Published on: January 9, 2018

Co-Culture and Transduction of Murine Thymocytes on Delta-Like 4-Expressing Stromal Cells to Study Oncogenes in T-Cell Leukemia09:43

Co-Culture and Transduction of Murine Thymocytes on Delta-Like 4-Expressing Stromal Cells to Study Oncogenes in T-Cell Leukemia

Published on: June 9, 2023

Related Concept Videos

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway02:26

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway

The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway01:20

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as  SH2...