Lymph node stromal cells: subsets and functions in health and disease

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cell Biology
• Histology

Background:

• Lymph nodes (LNs) are critical sites for adaptive immune responses, facilitating lymphocyte and antigen-presenting cell interactions.
• Lymph node stromal cells (LNSCs) play a key role in regulating adaptive immunity.
• Existing knowledge on LNSCs primarily stems from murine models, with limited data on human counterparts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge regarding human and murine lymph node stromal cells.
• To describe the diverse roles of LNSCs in immune responses during health and disease.
• To highlight recent findings on LNSC heterogeneity and functional specialization.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on lymph node stromal cells from human and murine studies.
• Analysis of data from single-cell technologies revealing LNSC heterogeneity.
• Synthesis of information on LNSC functions in immune regulation.

Main Results:

• LNSCs exhibit significant heterogeneity, with distinct subsets identified through single-cell analyses.
• LNSCs are crucial for orchestrating adaptive immune responses at multiple levels.
• Evidence suggests functional similarities between human and murine LNSCs, though differences may exist.

Conclusions:

• Lymph node stromal cells are essential regulators of adaptive immunity with diverse subsets.
• Understanding LNSC heterogeneity is key to deciphering their specific roles in health and disease.
• Further research, particularly on human LNSCs, is needed to fully elucidate their immunomodulatory functions.