| First Author | Mazzucchelli RI | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | PLoS One | Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 11 | Pages | e7637 |
| PubMed ID | 19907640 | Mgi Jnum | J:155424 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4413640 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.pone.0007637 |
| Citation | Mazzucchelli RI, et al. (2009) Visualization and identification of IL-7 producing cells in reporter mice. PLoS One 4(11):e7637 |
| abstractText | Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is required for lymphocyte development and homeostasis although the actual sites of IL-7 production have never been clearly identified. We produced a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse expressing ECFP in the Il7 locus. The construct lacked a signal peptide and ECFP (enhanced cyan fluorescent protein) accumulated inside IL-7-producing stromal cells in thoracic thymus, cervical thymus and bone marrow. In thymus, an extensive reticular network of IL-7-containing processes extended from cortical and medullary epithelial cells, closely contacting thymocytes. Central memory CD8 T cells, which require IL-7 and home to bone marrow, physically associated with IL-7-producing cells as we demonstrate by intravital imaging. |
