tailieunhanh - Báo cáo khoa học: ERK and cell death: ERK location and T cell selection

The selection of functional T cells is mediated by interactions between the T cell antigen receptor and self-peptide major histocompatibility complex expressed on thymic epithelium. These interactions either lead to survival and development or death. | MINIREVIEW ERK and cell death ERK location and T cell selection Emma Teixeiro and Mark A. Daniels Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Center for Cellular and Molecular Immunology Schoolof Medicine University of Missouri Columbia MO USA Keywords ERK MAPK T cell selection TCR signaling thymocyte Correspondence M. A. Daniels Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Center for Cellular and Molecular Immunology M616 Medical Sciences Bldg One Hospital Drive Columbia MO 65212 USA Fax 573 882 4287 Tel 573 884 1659 E-mail danielsma@ The selection of functional T cells is mediated by interactions between the T cell antigen receptor and self-peptide major histocompatibility complex expressed on thymic epithelium. These interactions either lead to survival and development or death. The T cell antigen receptor is an unusual receptor able to signal multiple cell fates. The precise mechanism by which this is achieved has been an area of intense research effort over the years. One model proposes that the differential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways contributes to this decision. Here the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in promoting or preventing apoptosis during thymic selection is discussed. Received 19 June 2009 revised 14 August 2009 accepted 26 August 2009 doi Introduction The development of a healthy immune system depends on the generation of a diverse pool of T cells capable of providing protection against a broad range of pathogens while avoiding an autoimmune attack on healthy tissue. T cells recognize specific peptide antigens presented in the context of self-major histocompatibility complex MHC molecules through clonally distributed T cell antigen receptors TCRs expressed early during T cell ontogeny. The TCR is formed by the random association of variable and constant genetic elements. Although this process leads to the production of a diverse pool of .