| First Author | Cremasco V | Year | 2014 |
| Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 10 | Pages | 973-81 |
| PubMed ID | 25151489 | Mgi Jnum | J:260606 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6142631 | Doi | 10.1038/ni.2965 |
| Citation | Cremasco V, et al. (2014) B cell homeostasis and follicle confines are governed by fibroblastic reticular cells. Nat Immunol 15(10):973-81 |
| abstractText | Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) are known to inhabit T cell-rich areas of lymphoid organs, where they function to facilitate interactions between T cells and dendritic cells. However, in vivo manipulation of FRCs has been limited by a dearth of genetic tools that target this lineage. Here, using a mouse model to conditionally ablate FRCs, we demonstrated their indispensable role in antiviral T cell responses. Unexpectedly, loss of FRCs also attenuated humoral immunity due to impaired B cell viability and follicular organization. Follicle-resident FRCs established a favorable niche for B lymphocytes via production of the cytokine BAFF. Thus, our study indicates that adaptive immunity requires an intact FRC network and identifies a subset of FRCs that control B cell homeostasis and follicle identity. |
