Type 2 for Tissue Regeneration

摘要

Although we classically think of the immune system as important for warding off foreign invaders, once the invaders are squashed, it sticks around to help pick up the pieces. The specific mechanisms by which the immune system supports tissue repair can differ from tissue to tissue and overall are not very well understood. Heredia et al. investigate this in the context of skeletal muscle injury and specifically look at the role of type 2 immunity, which has previously been implicated in tissue repair. The signature type 2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and -13 were up-regulated in response to skeletal muscle injury in mice, and the use of genetically modified mice demonstrated that signaling through the IL-4 receptor was required for muscle repair.