Notch signaling in lymphopoiesis

Notch signaling regulates many cell fate decisions during development of multi-cellular organisms. Signals initiated by Notch influence a wide variety of processes that include lineage specification, cell survival and proliferation, and border formation. During development of the immune system, Notch has been shown to influence the fate of both hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and committed progenitors. Notch appears to play an especially important role in the development of cells that mediate acquired immunity where Notch influences multiple aspects of T and B cell development. In this review, we will focus on the potential functions of Notch signaling during lymphoid development.