Innate lymphoid cells — a proposal for uniform nomenclature

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have key roles in immune responses, lymphoid tissue development and tissue regeneration. Recently, several new ILC subsets were identified. Here, the authors propose the use of a uniform nomenclature to describe all ILC subsets to avoid confusion and further promote the development of this field. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a family of developmentally related cells that are involved in immunity and in tissue development and remodelling. Recent research has identified several distinct members of this family. Confusingly, many different names have been used to characterize these newly identified ILC subsets. Here, we propose that ILCs should be categorized into three groups based on the cytokines that they can produce and the transcription factors that regulate their development and function.