sRANK (soluble RANK Receptor)

The receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK), a recently described TNF receptor family member, and its ligand, RANKL, promote survival of dendritic cells and differentiation of osteoclasts. RANK(-/-) mice lack osteoclasts and have a profound defect in bone resorption and remodeling and in the development of the cartilaginous growth plates of endochondral bone. RANKL augments the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate naive T-cell proliferation in a mixed lymphocyte reaction, and increases the survival of RANK+ T cells generated with interleukin-4 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. Thus RANK and RANKL seem to be important regulators of interactions between T cells and dendritic cells.