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FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt-3 Ligand), also known as FL, Flt3L and FLT3LG, is an α-helical cytokine that promotes differentiation of various hematopoietic cell lineages. FLT3LG is expressed as a noncovalently linked dimer in T cells, bone marrow, and thymus fibroblasts. Each carbon chain of 36 kda carries about 12 kda of N- and O-chain carbohydrates. FLT3LG is structurally homologous to stem cell factor (SCF) and colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1). FLT3LG acts as a growth factor that increases the number of immune cells by activating hematopoietic progenitor cells. It also induces the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells in the body, which may help the system kill cancer cells. FLT3LG induces expansion of monocytes and immature dendritic cells and differentiation of early B-cell lineages. FLT3LG cooperates with IL2, IL6, IL7 and IL15 to induce NK cell development and cooperates with IL3, IL7 and IL11 to induce B cell terminal maturation. Animal studies have also shown that FLT3LG can reduce the severity of experimentally induced allergic inflammation. FLT3LG is critical for the development of homeostatic pDC and cDC. Lack of FLT3L results in low levels of DCs.