IL-7 Receptor

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is produced by stromal cells in lymphoid tissues and is required for the development of T cells and for their persistence in the periphery. Unlike many other cytokines that act on lymphocytes, IL-7 production by stromal cells is not substantially affected by extrinsic stimuli. The interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) consists of two chains, the IL-7R α-chain (IL-7Rα; also known as CD127) and the common cytokine-receptor γ-chain (γc; also known as CD132), the intracellular domains of which are bound to the tyrosine kinases Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and JAK3, respectively[1].