Essential functions for ID proteins at multiple checkpoints in natural killer T cell development

Thymic iNKT cell development is divided into four stages (stage 0-3) that are characterised, in C57BL/6 mouse strain, by the differential expression of surface markers, such as CD24, CD44 and NK1.1. During transition from immature to mature iNKT cell subsets, gene expression is tightly regulated. Here, we used microarray analysis to detail the influence of the transcriptional regulator ID3 during iNKT cell maturation in the thymus. Stage 1 (Tet+CD24-CD44-NK1.1-) and Stage 2 (Tet+CD24-CD44+NK1.1-) iNKT cells from WT and Id3KO thymi were FACS sorted for RNA extraction and Affymetrix hybridisation.