Specialized white blood cells called T cells and B cells are critical for immunity – helping the body to identify and eliminate “non-self” substances such as viruses and bacteria. The activation of T cells and B cells occurs when immunoreceptors on the cell surface bind to specific regions on, or derived from, the invaders. This binding activates signaling pathways inside the T cells and B cells that control cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and effector functions.
A new book, Immunoreceptor Signaling, reviews our current understanding of events that occur during the activation of T cells and B cells. “The chapters cover a wide range of topics and, in aggregate, our hope is that they provide a comprehensive sense of the current state of the field,” write the editors, Lawrence Samelson and Andrey Shaw, in the Preface. “Perhaps this overview will aid in stimulating the next many years of fruitful research.”
Immunoreceptor Signaling, just released by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, includes contributions covering the structures of the T-cell and B-cell immunoreceptors, the numerous kinases and adaptors that associate with their intracellular tails, and the downstream signaling pathways that lead to transcription of interleukins and other outputs. Other contributions examine the roles of other receptors, co-stimulatory signals, and innate immune responses in regulation of immunoreceptor signaling.
The spatial organization of the immunological synapses connecting lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells is also discussed, along with the role of the cytoskeleton in immunoreceptor function.
Computational models of the signaling processes complete the volume, making it essential reading for systems biologists as well as all immunologists and cell biologists interested in understanding how lymphocytes function.
Source: Liz Powers
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory