Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are lymphocytes with critical roles in homeostasis, inflammation, and immunity to pathogens. ILCs are rare relative to other immune cell populations and are primarily defined by lack of expression of markers associated with other immune cell lineages and are predominantly found in mucosal tissues like the gut, lung and skin. They are classified into distinct subsets, ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3, which mirror subsets of CD4+ helper T cells. ILC subsets have distinct cytokine and transcription factor profiles which align with their biological functions, although recently it has emerged that ILC subsets are not phenotypically fixed and exhibit considerable heterogeneity and plasticity in different contexts. Here, we describe protocols for the maintenance, expansion, and induction of plasticity in mouse and human ILC2s. The resulting cells can be used for molecular interrogation of ILC function and biology, both in vivo and in vitro.
Keywords: Cytokines; ILC2s; Innate lymphoid cells.