IL 7 Human

IL-7 is a 25-kDa soluble globular protein. The recombinant form of IL-7, known as Human Recombinant IL-7, is produced using recombinant DNA technology, typically in E. coli . This recombinant form is used extensively in research and clinical settings due to its ability to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of lymphoid progenitors .

IL-7 plays a vital role in the immune system by:

• Promoting T cell development: IL-7 is essential for the survival and proliferation of T cell precursors in the thymus .
• Maintaining peripheral T cell homeostasis: It acts as a growth factor and anti-apoptotic survival factor for naive and memory T cells .
• Supporting B cell development: IL-7 is crucial for the proliferation and differentiation of B cell progenitors .
• Influencing NK and myeloid cells: IL-7 also affects the development and function of natural killer (NK) cells and myeloid lineages .

IL-7 exerts its effects through a heterodimeric receptor composed of the IL-7 receptor α-chain (CD127) and the common cytokine receptor γ-chain . This receptor is expressed on various immune cells, including early thymocytes, T cells, pre-B cells, and bone marrow macrophages . Binding of IL-7 to its receptor activates several signaling pathways that promote cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation .

Recombinant IL-7 has shown promise in clinical trials for its ability to restore and maintain lymphocyte counts, particularly CD4+ and CD8+ T cells . This makes it a potential therapeutic agent for conditions involving immune deficiency or depletion, such as HIV infection, cancer, and after bone marrow transplantation .

IL-7 is widely used in research to study T cell biology, immune reconstitution, and cytokine signaling pathways. It is also utilized in various functional assays and differentiation studies to understand its role in immune cell development and homeostasis .