Reina Mebius

Stromal cells are crucially involved in the formation of lymph nodes. Once these structures are formed, lymph node stromal cells differentiate into the different stromal cell subsets, which are critical for organizing specialized microenvironments within lymph nodes, allowing efficient B-T-cell interactions. We are focusing on the diverse role of stromal cells in controlling the adaptive immune response and the molecular and cellular requirements for performing these functions. This micro environmental control does not only take place within the lymph nodes but also at sites of inflammation and tumor development and is also subject to further study.

Affiliation

Dept. Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
r.mebius@vumc.nl

Publications

Koning JJ, Konijn T, Lakeman KA, O’Toole T, Kenswil KJ, Raaijmakers MH, Michurina TV, Enikolopov G, Mebius RE. Nestin-Expressing Precursors Give Rise to Both Endothelial as well as Nonendothelial Lymph Node Stromal Cells. J Immunol. 2016.

Olivier BJ, Cailotto C, van der Vliet J, Knippenberg M, Greuter MJ, Hilbers FW, Konijn T, Te Velde AA, Nolte MA, Boeckxstaens GE, et al. Vagal innervation is required for the formation of tertiary lymphoid tissue in colitis. Eur J Immunol. 2016.

Goverse G, Olivier BJ, Molenaar R, Knippenberg M, Greuter M, Konijn T, Cook EC, Beijer MR, Fedor DM, den Haan JM, et al. Vitamin A metabolism and mucosal immune function are distinct between BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Eur J Immunol. 2015.

Baptista AP, Roozendaal R, Reijmers RM, Koning JJ, Unger WW, Greuter M, Keuning ED, Molenaar R, Goverse G, Sneeboer MM, et al. Lymph node stromal cells constrain immunity via MHC class II self-antigen presentation. Elife. 2014.

Baptista AP, Olivier BJ, Goverse G, Greuter M, Knippenberg M, Kusser K, Domingues RG, Veiga-Fernandes H, Luster AD, Lugering A, et al. Colonic patch and colonic SILT development are independent and differentially regulated events. Mucosal Immunol. 2013.

Theses

Gera Goverse: Environmental control of the mucosal immune system. Awarded: 2015

Antonio Baptista : Lymphoid tissue from ontogeny to function. Awarded: 2013

Jasper Koning: Mesenchymal stem cells in lymph node development and disease. Awarded: 2013

Current PhD projects

Reza Nadafi: The immunomodulatory effect of lymph node stromal cells in rheumatic disease.

Martje Erkelens: Visualization of vitamin A metabolism.

Amelie Bos: Immunoglobulin A generation and function in chronic mucosal inflammation.