| First Author | von Boehmer H | Year | 1997 |
| Journal | Annu Rev Immunol | Volume | 15 |
| Pages | 433-52 | PubMed ID | 9143695 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:40175 | Mgi Id | MGI:87519 |
| Doi | 10.1146/annurev.immunol.15.1.433 | Citation | von Boehmer H, et al. (1997) Structure and function of the pre-T cell receptor. Annu Rev Immunol 15:433-52 |
| abstractText | The pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) that minimally consists of the TCR beta chain and the disulfide-linked pre-T cell receptor alpha (pT alpha) chain in association with signal-transducing CD3 molecules rescues from programmed cell death cells with productive TCR beta rearrangements. The pre-TCR induces expansion and differentiation of these cells such that they become TCR alpha beta bearing CD4+8+ thymocytes, which express only a single TCR beta chain and then either die of neglect or--upon TCR-ligand interaction--undergo either positive or negative selection. The newly discovered pT alpha gene encodes a transmembrane protein that belongs to the Ig superfamily and contains a cytoplasmic tail that, however, has no essential function in signal transduction, which is mediated by CD3 molecules and most likely p56lck. Experiments in pT alpha gene-deficient mice show that the pre-TCR has a crucial role in maturation as well as allelic exclusion of alpha beta T cells but is not required for the development of gamma delta-expressing cells. The function of the pre-TCR cannot be fully assumed by an alpha beta TCR that is expressed abnormally early in T cell development. |
