Work Package 4
γδ T cell versus NK cell function in intestinal immunity
Chickens belong to the γδ high species with a frequency of up to 50 % of circulating T cells.
Their function is largely unknown and there are only very few markers that can be used for phenotypic analyses of γδ T cells. Moreover, there is only sparse information regarding the TCR usage in various tissues and changes of γδ T cell repertoire following infections.
Work package 4 will address several research questions regarding the phenotype and function of γδ T cells. In particular, we will analyze similarities and differences between intestinal NK cells and γδ T cells that are both highly abundant intestinal cell populations. In addition, will characterize novel γδ T cell specific mAb and use them in diverse infection experiments to explore different γδ T cell subpopulations and/or activation states.
These novel tools will be freely available for the other research projects to analyze phenotypic changes of γδ T cells during various disease models. We will also use our newly developed in vitro culture system for γδ T cell to functionally characterize these cells and their interaction with pathogens in a defined system.
In addition, we will setup tools to monitor the γδ T cell repertoire in order to monitor changes of the TCR repertoire during in vitro culture but also in infection models.
Principal investigator:
Prof. Dr. med. vet. Thomas Göbel