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T-Cell Receptor Signaling

T-cell receptors, or TCR, recognize antigens. The transmembrane region of TCR is made of positive-charge amino acids, which may allow the TCR to locate negatively-charged transmembranes and act on them in T-cell receptor signalling. Differences in the negative-charge transmembranes and the T-cells allow for enormous diversity in specificity.

In T-cell receptor signalling, T-lymphocytes first recognize antigens (essentially, peptide fragments) that have broken from foreign pathogens. The T-cell receptor detects these and initiates (or transduces) a chain of intracellular signalling pathways. First, the SRC-family tyrosine kinases are activated, and hydrolyze PIP2 into DAG and IP3. The IP3 releases calcium into the endoplasmic reticulum, causing an electrolytic chain reaction; and simultaneously, the DAG initiates the MAP kinase cascade.

Through a further series of complex reactions, the nucleus of the cell is triggered by the chain reaction down the endoplasmic reticulum to begin transcription of the IL-2 gene, while the kinase cascade makes raw material available to facilitate further immune reactions.

Web Resources On T-Cell Receptor Signaling

T cell receptor signaling pathway - Homo sapiens
Signal transduction through the T cell receptor

Book Resources On T-Cell Receptor Signaling

Structural studies of CD3, signaling molecules associated with the T cell receptor by Kelly Lynn Arnett
T-Cell Receptor FactsBook by Lefranc & Lefranc

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