title: [Structure and function of the T-lymphocyte antigen receptor and its role in infectious diseases].
abstract: The T lymphocytes recognize antigens through antigen receptors (TcRs) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules: they lysate the cells that bear the antigen, or release cytokines that are mediators of the immune response. The TcRs recognize antigens in the form of short peptides bound to MHC molecules. So far, there are two isotypes of TcR: gamma/delta and alpha/beta, which appear in the sequence during T-cell ontogeny. The process of selection of TcRs during thymic ontogeny obeys to molecular mechanisms which generate intracellular events that will participate in the gene expression of the TcR. The aim of the present paper is to review the molecular, structural, and functional aspects of the TcRs, and their role in human autoimmune infectious disease.
authors.affiliation: Depto. de Inmunología Viral, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Morelos, México.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peralta Zaragoza
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sánchez Magaña
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barrera Rodriguez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Madrid Marina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell