Same Yet Different - How Lymph Node Heterogeneity Affects Immune Responses

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2023 Dec 14

PMID 38097778

Authors

Paulina Cruz de Casas

Konrad Knopper

Rupak Dey Sarkar

Wolfgang Kastenmuller

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Lymph nodes are secondary lymphoid organs in which immune responses of the adaptive immune system are initiated and regulated. Distributed throughout the body and embedded in the lymphatic system, local lymph nodes are continuously informed about the state of the organs owing to a constant drainage of lymph. The tissue-derived lymph carries products of cell metabolism, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, pathogens and circulating immune cells. Notably, there is a growing body of evidence that individual lymph nodes differ from each other in their capacity to generate immune responses. Here, we review the structure and function of the lymphatic system and then focus on the factors that lead to functional heterogeneity among different lymph nodes. We will discuss how lymph node heterogeneity impacts on cellular and humoral immune responses and the implications for vaccination, tumour development and tumour control by immunotherapy.

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