The questions on the papers are intended to guide your thinking and approach the papers,

as well as provide a basis for discussion. Although answers to the questions will be
collected, the answers themselves will be graded on effort and thought, not correctness.
Please limit your response to 1 page, and use simple diagrams whenever you feel they
would be helpful. Please be prepared to turn in your answers to the assigned questions
for each week's article at the beginning of section.

Nov 28 – 30: Vaishnava et al, 2011, Science.

1) In order to study the effects of the innate immune system in detecting

microorganisms the authors use MyD88 KO mice. What pathway is MyD88 an
important signaling adaptor for?

MyD88 is important in innate inflammatory pathways involving players such as IL-1 and
TLRs.

2) In order to study the role of MyD88 specifically on intestinal epithelial cells, the
authors cross 2 genetic strains of mice. What are the 2 genetic strains of mice that
the authors cross and what happens to the expression level of RegIIIγ in the IEL of
these mice?

The authors crossed mice with the IEC restricted villin-Cre transgene with mice with a
loxP-flanked MyD88 allele. The mice crosses had significantly less RegIIy expression in
the IEL than other strains of mice.

3) What type of protein is RegIIIγ? What is its normal homeostatic function in the
intestinal space?

RegIIIy is a lectin that maintains the proper spatial relationship between host and
microbiota in the intestinal space.

4) In addition to RegIIIγ, name 2 other factors that are secreted by either hematopoeitic
or non-hematopoeitic cells in the intestinal epithelium that help with barrier defense.

Goblet cells secrete mucins to provide a layer of mucous for defense. Other ILs are also
secreted, like IL22 to provide another layer of defense.