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The lymph node periphery is an important site for many immunological functions,from pathogen containment to the differentiation of helper T cells,yet the cues that position cells in this region are largely undefined. Here,through the use of a reporter for the signaling lipid S1P (sphingosine 1-phosphate),we found that cells sensed higher concentrations of S1P in the medullary cords than in the T cell zone and that the S1P transporter SPNS2 on lymphatic endothelial cells generated this gradient. Natural killer (NK) cells are located at the periphery of the lymph node,predominantly in the medulla,and we found that expression of SPNS2,expression of the S1P receptor S1PR5 on NK cells,and expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 were all required for NK cell localization during homeostasis and rapid production of interferon-$\gamma$ by NK cells after challenge. Our findings elucidate the spatial cues for NK cell organization and reveal a previously unknown role for S1P in positioning cells within the medulla. View Publication

Replacing defective retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells with those derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is a potential strategy for treating retinal degenerative diseases. Early clinical trials have demonstrated that hESC-derived or hiPSC-derived RPE cells can be delivered safely as a suspension to the human eye. The next step is transplantation of hESC/hiPSC-derived RPE cells as cell sheets that are more physiological. We have developed a tissue-engineered product consisting of hESC-derived RPE cells grown as sheets on human amniotic membrane as a biocompatible substrate. We established a surgical approach to engraft this tissue-engineered product into the subretinal space of the eyes of rats with photoreceptor cell loss. We show that transplantation of the hESC-RPE cell sheets grown on a human amniotic membrane scaffold resulted in rescue of photoreceptor cell death and improved visual acuity in rats with retinal degeneration compared to hESC-RPE cells injected as a cell suspension. These results suggest that tissue-engineered hESC-RPE cell sheets produced under good manufacturing practice conditions may be a useful approach for treating diseases of retinal degeneration. View Publication