CXCL13

C-X-C motif chemokine 13 (CXCL13) also known as B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC) is a is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the CXCL13 is_associated_with::gene.

Function
CXCL13 is a small is_associated_with::cytokine belonging to the CXC is_associated_with::chemokine family. As its name suggests, this chemokine is selectively is_associated_with::chemotactic for is_associated_with::B cells belonging to both the B-1 and B-2 subsets, and elicits its effects by interacting with is_associated_with::chemokine receptor is_associated_with::CXCR5. CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5 control the organization of B cells within follicles of is_associated_with::lymphoid tissues. and is expressed highly in the is_associated_with::liver, is_associated_with::spleen, is_associated_with::lymph nodes, and gut of is_associated_with::humans. The is_associated_with::gene for CXCL13 is located on human is_associated_with::chromosome 4 in a cluster of other CXC chemokines.

In T lymphocytes, CXCL13 expression is thought to reflect a germinal center origin of the T cell, particularly a subset of T cells called is_associated_with::Follicular B Helper T cells (or TFH cells). Hence, expression of CXCL13 in T-cell lymphomas, such as Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma, is thought to reflect a germinal center origin of the neoplastic T-cells.