Innate lymphoid cell markers

Your guide to identifying and studying innate lymphoid cells.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are part of the innate immune system and play important roles in immune defense against microbes, regulation of adaptive immunity, and tissue remodeling and repair. The ILC family can be divided into the non-cytotoxic ILCs (ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3), natural killer cells, and lymphoid tissue inducer cells (LTis).

Cell
Function
Markers
ILC1
Viral defense and anti-tumor mechanisms
CD127, CD161, CD121a, T-bet
ILC2
Helminth response and airway inflammation
CD127, CD161, CD121a GATA-3
ILC3
Tissue remodeling and defense against extracellular pathogens
CD127, CD161, CD121a, CD117, IL-23R
Natural killer cell
Innate immune system lymphocytes, involved in the elimination of tumors and microbe-infected cells
CD3(-), CD56, CD94, CD335
Lti
Required for the development of lymph nodes and Peyer’s patches during embryogenesis
CD127, CD117, IL-23R

CD3

CD3 is used as a negative selection marker to distinguish natural killer cells from other cell types.

We recommend

Anti-CD3 epsilon antibody [EPR5361(2)]

CD117

Alternative names c-kit, KIT, SCFR

Receptor tyrosine kinase which phosphorylates multiple intracellular proteins that play a role in proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis.

We recommend

Anti-c-Kit antibody [EPR25707-134] (ab283653)

CD121a

Alternative names IL-1R type I, IL1R1

Receptor for IL1A, IL1B and IL1RN. Mediates many cytokine-induced immune and inflammatory responses.

We recommend

Browse all CD121a antibodies

CD127

Alternative names IL7R

Receptor for IL7. Involved with T-cell homeostasis and function.

We recommend

Anti-CD127 antibody [EPR22835-249] (ab255816)

CD161

Alternative names NKR-P1A, KLRB1

Inhibits natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity. Induces immature thymocyte proliferation.

We recommend

Anti-CD161 antibody [EPR26340-6] (ab302564) datasheet

T-bet

Alternative names Tbx21

We recommend

Anti-T-bet / Tbx21 antibody [EPR27094-16] (ab307193)

GATA3

We recommend

Anti-GATA3 antibody [EPR16651] - ChIP Grade (ab199428)

IL23R

Interleukin-23 receptor (IL23R) is strongly expressed on the cell membrane of memory T cells and other immune cells, including monocytes, dendritic cells and natural killer cells. IL23R interacts with the cytokine IL23, which regulates immune cell activity and is essential in the inflammatory response. Several IL23R  variants are associated with Crohn’s disease.

We recommend

Browse all IL23R antibodies

References

View 1 reference for IL23R

CD56

Alternative names NCAM1, MSK39

Homophilic and heterophilic adhesion. Associated with activation or cytotoxicity in immune cells.

We recommend

Anti-NCAM1 antibody [EPR26939-108] (ab313779)

CD94

Alternative names KLRD1, NKG2

Inhibition of natural killer cell function. Induces cytolytic activity and cytokine production.

We recommend

Anti-CD94 antibody [EPR23229-138] (ab245240)

CD335

Alternative names NCR1, NK-p46, LY94

Prototypal marker to define NK cells, is the cytotoxicity receptor that triggers the NK-target cell lysis when in contact with ligand.

We recommend

Anti-NCR1 antibody [EPR22403-40] (ab244208)

Further reading

Please see the references below for a list of relevant reviews.

References

View 4 references for Further reading

References

IL23R

Naser, SA., Arce, M., Khaja, A., et al. Role of ATG16L, NOD2 and IL23R in Crohn's disease pathogenesis.  World Journal of Gastroenterology   5  (18),412-424 (2012)

Further reading

Chen, Q., et al. Delineation of Natural Killer Cell Differentiation from Myeloid Progenitors in Human  Sci. Rep.   5  , (2015)

Colucci, F., Caligiuri, M., Di Santo, J. P. What does it take to make a natural killer? Nat. Rev. Immunol.  3  ,413-425 (2003)

Montaldo, E., et al. Human NK cell receptors/markers: A tool to analyze NK cell development, subsets and function  Cytom.  A83  ,702-713 (2013)

Farag, S. S., Caligiuri, M. A. Human natural killer cell development and biology  Blood Rev.  20 ,123-137 (2006)