Innate Lymphoid Cells: Immunoregulatory Cells of Mucosal Inflammation

Abstract

Inflammation is a very complex immunopathological process occurring due to exaggerated activation of immune system in response to various inflammatory stimuli (i.e. bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic antigens, xenobiotics, autoantigens and sterile inflammation of unknown cause (i.e. tumor associated inflammation), traumatic inflammation or allergic inflammation etc.). Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are particular newly discovered immune cells, which have characteristics of both innate and adaptive immune cells. These cells have shown very significant roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders at mucosal surfaces (i.e. respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and mucosal skin surfaces or barriers). The present review, explores their role in pathogenesis of inflammation at mucosal sites.