Innate Lymphoid Cells and Infection

ABSTRACT

The functions of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have been known to play an important role in immunity and immune responses. ILCs are rapidly-responding cells that are involved in tissue remodeling, cancer, the regulation of autoimmune inflammation and resistance to pathogens. Understanding the role of ILCs in regulating immune response could be useful for the development of new therapeutic strategies against emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases. However, the relevance of ILCs in infectious diseases was not fully uncovered. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the functional characteristics of ILCs and how these cells interact with pathogens to mediate immune responses.