Description
IL7, previously known as preBcell growth factor and lymphopoietin1, was originally purified on the basis of its ability to promote the proliferation of precursor Bcells. It has now been shown that IL7 can also stimulate the proliferation of thymocytes, T cell progenitors and mature CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. IL7 can induce the formation of lymphokineactivated killer (LAK) cells as well as the development of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). IL7 was also shown to induce the V(D)J rearrangement of the T cell receptor µ gene in mouse fetal thymocytes. Among myeloid lineage cells, IL 7 can upregulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines and stimulate the tumoricidal activity of monocytes/macrophages. IL7 is expressed by adherent stromal cells from various tissues