Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 11, 2026

Co-Culture of Murine Small Intestine Epithelial Organoids with Innate Lymphoid Cells
Published on: March 23, 2022
Follicle-associated epithelial tuft cells amplify type 2 mucosal immunity and IgA production
Gabriel M Barrón1,2, Radeesha D Jayewickreme1,2, Heather H Tran2
1Program in Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Peyer's patches (PPs) in the intestinal mucosa coordinate antibody responses to luminal microbes and dietary antigens. The follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) is traditionally recognized by the presence of microfold cells (M cells) that mediate antigen sampling in PPs. By analyzing Gfi1b-eGFP reporter mice and human PP biopsies, we identified tuft cells as an additional, evolutionarily conserved FAE population that regulates mucosal immunity. Using mouse models and intestinal organoids, we demonstrate that M cells and tuft cells are distinct lineages arising from Pou2f3+ progenitors, whose differentiation is reciprocally regulated by RANKL and interleukin-13 (IL-13), respectively. Tuft cell-derived IL-25 activates type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in PPs. Furthermore, IL-13 production by ILC2 enhances immunoglobulin A class switching and antigen-specific immunity. These findings reveal a dual surveillance system in the FAE, where developmentally related epithelial lineages use distinct mechanisms to coordinate mucosal immunity.
More Related Videos
08:25Unraveling Key Players of Humoral Immunity: Advanced and Optimized Lymphocyte Isolation Protocol from Murine Peyer's Patches
Published on: November 21, 2018
07:07Evaluation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Center Response During Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice
Published on: June 27, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Histology of the Small Intestine
The intestinal lining features transverse folds called circular folds, each housing fingerlike projections known as intestinal villi. These villi are covered by a layer of simple columnar epithelium, also referred to as...
Lymphoid Cells and Tissues
Lymphoid cells consist of various types of immune system cells. These include B and T lymphocytes, which are responsible for producing antibodies and killing infected cells, respectively. Dendritic cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis