Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Supports a Pulmonary Niche that Promotes Type 3 Innate Lymphoid Cell Development in Newborn Lungs (Immunity)

The signals that guide pulmonary ILC3 development remain unclear. Oherle et al. show that developmentally programmed expression of IGF1 in alveolar fibroblasts links postnatal lung growth with development of pulmonary ILC3s, coordinating concurrent development of lung and mucosal defenses. These data help explain why perturbations incurred during development, such as premature birth, are associated with increased risk of respiratory infections.