CCL19 is characterized by the presence of four highly conserved cysteine residues, which are typical of CC chemokines . The human recombinant form of CCL19 is an 8.8 kDa protein consisting of 77 amino acid residues . It is expressed primarily in the thymus, lymph nodes, and activated bone marrow stromal cells .
CCL19 functions by binding to the G protein-coupled receptor CCR7, which is expressed on T cells and mature dendritic cells . This interaction is critical for the homeostatic trafficking of naive T cells and activated dendritic cells into secondary lymphoid organs . CCL19, along with its closely related chemokine CCL21, plays a significant role in T cell priming and activation, as well as the recruitment of lymphocytes to inflamed tissues .
The biological activity of CCL19 includes its ability to chemoattract human T cells at concentrations ranging from 10.0 to 50.0 ng/ml . This chemotactic property is essential for the regulation of lymphocyte circulation and homing in the thymus and secondary lymphoid organs . Additionally, CCL19 is involved in the migration of antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells and antigen-loaded B cells .
Human recombinant CCL19 is widely used in research for various applications, including: