Abstract
T lymphocytes are generated in the thymus, where developing thymocytes must accept one of two fates: They either differentiate or they die. These fates are chiefly determined by signals that originate from the T cell receptor (TCR), a single receptor complex with a remarkable capacity to decide between distinct cell fates. This review explores TCR signaling in thymocytes and focuses on the kinetic aspects of ligand binding, coreceptor involvement, protein phosphorylation, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. Understanding the logic of TCR signaling may eventually explain how thymocytes and T cells distinguish self from nonself, a phenomenon that has fascinated immunologists for 50 years.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing*
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Animals
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Antigens / immunology
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Antigens, CD / immunology
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Antigens, CD / metabolism
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Apoptosis*
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism
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Cell Differentiation
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Cell Division
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Enzyme Activation
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Humans
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Ligands
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MAP Kinase Signaling System
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Major Histocompatibility Complex / immunology
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Membrane Proteins*
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
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Phosphoproteins / metabolism
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / chemistry
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / physiology*
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Selection, Genetic
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Self Tolerance
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Signal Transduction*
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
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T-Lymphocytes / physiology*
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Thymus Gland / cytology*
Substances
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Antigens
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Antigens, CD
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Carrier Proteins
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LAT protein, human
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Ligands
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Membrane Proteins
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Phosphoproteins
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases