The interaction of innate lymphocytes and dendritic cells regulates an intestinal precursor niche

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The immune system of the intestine is a vastly unknown area. However, it resembles one of the most interesting systems in the organism, as it is able to maintain an anti-inflammatory state though constant challenges by inflammatory food-prone and bacterial antigens. The innate immune system inside the intestine is able to quickly react to changes within this delicate balance and prevent an inflammatory outcome through manipulation the development and recruitment of other cells of the innate immune system. Within this research proposal, we are going to identify the cellular and molecular cues that regulate the development (lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis) of innate immune cells outside the bone marrow. Lymphoid tissue inducer cells, natural killer cells, dendritic cells and macrophages are the main compounds of the intestinal innate immune system. Parabiosis, a microsurgical method to connect the bloodstream of two experimental animals will allow us to answer the question whether innate immune cells regulate the recruitment and development of other innate immune cells. Furthermore, we will perform a detailed assessment of growth factors produced by innate immune cells of the intestine that might manipulate lympho- and myelopoiesis. Collectively, our study will provide experimental evidence of whether innate immune cells are able to develop in organs others than the bone marrow. These results would place the intestine, beside the thymus and the bone marrow as place for immune cell development.