1. Fig. 1. IL-21 induces proliferation in CB-derived CD56⁺ populations. CB/CD34⁺ (A), and CB/CD56⁺ (B) cells were cultured for 30 days in media supplemented with FL/HC in the presence or absence of IL-15, with or without IL-21, as indicated. Results are presented as mean values ± SD from five individually performed experiments.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
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2. Fig. 3. Effect of IL-21 on LAK activity of CB/CD34⁺-derived NK cells against various target cell lines. CB/CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 30 days in the presence of FL/IL-15/HC, with or without IL-21 and tested for cytotoxic activity against Daudi, Raji, FM3 and U937 targets, at effector:target (E:T) ratio of 5. Three experiments, involving different CB samples, were performed and the mean values ± SD from these results are shown.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please

3. Fig. 2. Effect of IL-21 on NK and LAK activities of CB-derived NK cells. CB/CD56⁺, and CB/CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 15 or 30 days in the presence of FL/IL-15/HC, with or without IL-21, and tested for cytotoxic activity, at the indicated effector:target (E:T) ratios, against K562 (A, B) and Daudi (C, D) targets. Results are represented as the mean values ± SD of four independently performed experiments. Each experiment was conducted with different CB sample.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please

4. Fig. 7. IL-21R cell-surface expression
Fig. 7. IL-21R cell-surface expression. (A) IL-21R⁺ CB/CD34⁺ cells cultured for 28 days with FL/HC and/or FL/IL-15/HC, in the presence or absence of IL-21. (B) IL-21R⁺ cells in total and gated, CD56⁻ and CD56⁺, CB/CD34⁺ cells, after 28 days of culture with FL/IL-15/HC or FL/IL-15/HC/IL-21. (C) IL-21R expression on freshly isolated or cultured (28 days) CB/CD56⁺ and CB/CD34⁺ cells. Dotted line represents the isotype control. Representative results from one CB out of three samples examined are shown.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please

5. Fig. 6. (A) IL-21R mRNA detection by RT–PCR in freshly isolated cell populations from CB samples. Panel I presents the IL-21R product and panel II the β2-microglobulin product of the same samples, used to monitor mRNA integrity. MW: DNA molecular weight markers. The NK-92 cell line was used as a positive control and K562 cells as a negative control. (B) IL-21R mRNA expression in CB/CD56⁺ and CB/CD34⁺ cells cultured for 28 days with FL and/or FL/IL-15, in the presence or absence of IL-21. Values are presented as mean ± SD of the measured arbitrary units estimated by the Ct values of each sample, normalized with the respective Ct value of the reference gene and using a standard curve.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please

6. Fig. 5. Effect of IL-21 on IFN-γ production by CB-derived NK cells
Fig. 5. Effect of IL-21 on IFN-γ production by CB-derived NK cells. CB/CD56⁺ and CB/CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 30 days in the presence of FL/IL-15/HC, with or without IL-21. For the last 48 h of culture, media were supplemented with IL-12 and IL-18 (A) or IL-12 (B), in the presence or absence of IL-21 and/or anti-IL-10 mAb, as indicated. Supernatants were assayed for IFN-γ production. Values are expressed as pg ml⁻¹ of IFN-γ per 10⁵ cells. The data represent the mean values ± SD from three experiments conducted with separate CB samples.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please

7. Fig. 4. Effect of IL-21 on cytokine production by CB-derived NK cells
Fig. 4. Effect of IL-21 on cytokine production by CB-derived NK cells. CB/CD56⁺ (CD56) and CB/CD34⁺ (CD34) cells were cultured for 30 days in the presence of FL/IL-15/HC, with or without IL-21. For the last 48 h of culture, IL-12 and IL-18 and, where indicated, IL-21 were added to the media. For inhibition of the endogenously produced IL-10, a neutralizing anti-IL-10 mAb was also included in the culture. Supernatants were assayed for GM-CSF, TNF-α and IL-10 production. Values are expressed as pg ml⁻¹ of the respective cytokine per 10⁵ cells. The data represent the mean values ± SD from three experiments with different CB samples.
From: Effect of IL-21 on NK cells derived from different umbilical cord blood populations
Int Immunol. 2005;18(1): doi: /intimm/dxh348
Int Immunol | © The Japanese Society for Immunology All rights reserved. For permissions, please