Interleukin-7 and Immunosenescence

Figure 6

Inflammaging drives immunosenescence. Chronic low-grade inflammation results from reduced function of the aging innate and adaptive immune systems. In old age, the number of macrophages, as well as phagocytosis, decreases. Likewise, dendritic cells lag in antigen uptake, as well as in migration to lymph nodes. While B and T cell effector responses become less than optimum, a notable expansion of memory CD8+ T cells is observed.