IMMUNE OSby Allerim

cytokine

IL-13

Type 2 tissue remodeling cytokine for mucus, barrier repair, fibrosis drift, and airway reactivity

TH2mucusfibrosisbarrier

Review layer

Last reviewed 2026-05-17

well-supportedclinical context required

Use as a systems teaching model for type 2/allergic inflammation. Clinical interpretation depends on phenotype, tissue context, exposure history, and biomarkers.

3 review sources

State signature

Systems profile

Inflammation86
Tolerance45
Metabolism54
Tissue88
Neuroimmune38
Chronicity78

Cascade viewer

Source → signal → tissue behavior

Sources

T cell subsets
ILC2
mast cells
eosinophils

Signal

IL-13

Targets and effects

epithelium
fibroblasts
smooth muscle
mucus production
goblet cell metaplasia
related: IL-4related: IL-17related: IL-33related: IL-5related: TGF-beta

Graph neighborhood

Direct relationships

Full graph

Mucus, airway reactivity, and tissue remodeling

Tissue remodeling arm of type 2 inflammation

TH2 IL-13 drives mucus and tissue remodeling

ILC2 programs can produce IL-13 during alarmin-rich allergic and repair states

Cytokine ecology

Signal Role

IL-13 acts on epithelial and stromal compartments to drive mucus, smooth muscle reactivity, collagen programs, and type 2 remodeling.

Pathway

IL-13Rα1IL-4RαSTAT6

Source Cells

T cell subsetsILC2mast cellseosinophils

Target Cells

epitheliumfibroblastssmooth musclemacrophages

Inflammatory Role

Amplifies allergic tissue remodeling, mucus, airway hyperreactivity, and fibrotic repair tone.

Regulatory Role

Supports helminth expulsion and wound repair when self-limited.

Tissue Effects

mucus productiongoblet cell metaplasiacollagen depositionbarrier remodeling

Metabolic Effects

aligns with repair macrophage and stromal remodeling metabolism

Nervous System Interactions

can increase sensory reactivity through inflamed barrier tissue

Related Loops

IL-13 -> mucus/remodelingIL-4/IL-13 -> STAT6 type 2 tissue program