Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Ex vivo Expansion of Tumor-reactive T Cells by Means of Bryostatin 1/Ionomycin and the Common Gamma Chain Cytokines Formulation
Published on: January 15, 2011
Cell biology of IL-7, a key lymphotrophin
Qiong Jiang1, Wen Qing Li, Francesca B Aiello
1Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA.
Abstract:
IL-7 is essential for the development and survival of T lymphocytes. This review is primarily from the perspective of the cell biology of the responding T cell. Beginning with IL-7 receptor structure and regulation, the major signaling pathways appear to be via PI3K and Stat5, although the requirement for either has yet to be verified by published knockout experiments. The proliferation pathway induced by IL-7 differs from conventional growth factors and is primarily through posttranslational regulation of p27, a Cdk inhibitor, and Cdc25a, a Cdk-activating phosphatase. The survival function of IL-7 is largely through maintaining a favorable balance of bcl-2 family members including Bcl-2 itself and Mcl-1 on the positive side, and Bax, Bad and Bim on the negative side. There are also some remarkable metabolic effects of IL-7 withdrawal. Studies of IL-7 receptor signaling have yet to turn up unique pathways, despite the unique requirement for IL-7 in T cell biology. There remain significant questions regarding IL-7 production and the major producing cells have yet to be fully characterized.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...

