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Transmembrane Signaling of T Lymphocytes by Ligand‐Induced Receptor Complex Assembly
Author(s) -
Eichmann Klaus
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition in english
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 0570-0833
DOI - 10.1002/anie.199300541
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , major histocompatibility complex , transmembrane protein , biology , t cell receptor , signal transduction , immune system , receptor , cell surface receptor , t cell , biochemistry , genetics
T lymphocytes (T cells) are the central cell type initiating all immune responses. They are able to recognize other cells in the body that have been invaded by foreign living or nonliving matter. In such cells, foreign peptides generated by intracellular breakdown are complexed with molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) specially designed for peptide binding. Peptide‐loaded MHC molecules appear on the surface of these cells and alert the immune system. The molecular complex which T cells use for recognition of peptide‐loaded MHC molecules is among the most sophisticated and versatile receptor systems in biology. It consists of specific and nonspecific transmembrane components which assemble to a functional signal transduction unit as the result of ligand binding. Correct assembly leads to activation and relocation of enzymes including membrane‐associated, tyrosin‐specific protein kinases and phosphatases. Transmembrane signaling in T cells depends on the correct assembly and cooperation among multiple molecular components. This may be related to a multitude of different cellular responses of T cells at different stages of differentiation, all elicited through the T cell receptor complex.