IL-7 (interleukin-7) is a 25 kDa cytokine of the hemopoietin family that plays important roles in lymphocyte differentiation, proliferation, and survival. IL-7 is produced by a wide variety of cells in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues, including stromal epithelial cells of the thymus, bone marrow, and intestines. IL-7 signals through a complex of the IL-7 Receptor alpha subunit (IL-7 R alpha, also known as CD127) with the common gamma chain (gamma c). IL-7 contributes to the maintenance of all na?ve and memory T cells, mainly by promoting expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 (1-5).
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