TY - JOUR
T1 - The unfolding story of T cell receptor γ
AU - Pardoll, D. M.
AU - Kruisbeek, A. M.
AU - Fowlkes, B. J.
AU - Coligan, J. E.
AU - Schwartz, R. H.
PY - 1987/1/1
Y1 - 1987/1/1
N2 - Antigen-specific, major histocompatibility complex-restricted recognition by classical T cells is mediated by a T cell receptor (TCR) consisting of a disulfide-linked αβ heterodimer. During the search for the genes encoding the α and β proteins, a third immunoglobulin-like gene, termed γ, was uncovered. Like the TCR α and β genes, the TCR γ gene consists of variable and constant segments that rearrange during T cell development in the thymus. Although the physiological role of TCR γ remains an enigma, much has been learned with the recent identification of the protein products of this gene family in both mice and humans. The γ chain is associated with a partner chain, termed δ. The γδ heterodimer is associated with an invariant T3 complex, very similar to that associated with the αβ heterodimer, and appears predominantly, if not exclusively, on cells with a CD4-, CD8- phenotype both in the thymus and in the periphery. TCR γδ is the first T3-associated receptor to appear during thymocyte development and defines a separate T cell lineage distinct from αβ-bearing cells. Although TCR αβ-bearing cells and TCR γδ-bearing cells follow parallel developmental pathways, the diversity of expressed γδ receptors is extremely limited relative to that of αβ receptors.
AB - Antigen-specific, major histocompatibility complex-restricted recognition by classical T cells is mediated by a T cell receptor (TCR) consisting of a disulfide-linked αβ heterodimer. During the search for the genes encoding the α and β proteins, a third immunoglobulin-like gene, termed γ, was uncovered. Like the TCR α and β genes, the TCR γ gene consists of variable and constant segments that rearrange during T cell development in the thymus. Although the physiological role of TCR γ remains an enigma, much has been learned with the recent identification of the protein products of this gene family in both mice and humans. The γ chain is associated with a partner chain, termed δ. The γδ heterodimer is associated with an invariant T3 complex, very similar to that associated with the αβ heterodimer, and appears predominantly, if not exclusively, on cells with a CD4-, CD8- phenotype both in the thymus and in the periphery. TCR γδ is the first T3-associated receptor to appear during thymocyte development and defines a separate T cell lineage distinct from αβ-bearing cells. Although TCR αβ-bearing cells and TCR γδ-bearing cells follow parallel developmental pathways, the diversity of expressed γδ receptors is extremely limited relative to that of αβ receptors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0023551405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0023551405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1096/fasebj.1.2.2956146
DO - 10.1096/fasebj.1.2.2956146
M3 - Review article
C2 - 2956146
AN - SCOPUS:0023551405
SN - 0892-6638
VL - 1
SP - 103
EP - 109
JO - FASEB Journal
JF - FASEB Journal
IS - 2
ER -