Cooperation between IL-7 and the pre-B cell receptor: a key to B cell selection

Hematopoiesis is regulated by a variety of signals that either originate within a developing cell or are supplied by the surrounding environment in secreted- or contact-dependent forms. This review discusses the effects of one secreted factor, interleukin-7, on the development of B lymphocytes. We describe a molecular mechanism for a crucial checkpoint during B lineage maturation, based on the integration of signals mediated by the pre-B cell receptor, the interleukin-7 receptor, and the environment in which these signals are received.