title: Functional and structural aspects of the Kell blood group system.
abstract: Two covalently linked proteins, Kell and XK, constitute the Kell blood group system. Kell, a 93-Kd type II glycoprotein, is highly polymorphic and carries all but 1 of the known Kell antigens, and XK, which traverses the membrane 10 times, carries a single antigen, the ubiquitous Kx. The Kell/XK complex is not limited to erythroid tissues and may have multiple physiological roles. Absence of one of the component proteins, XK, is associated with abnormal red cell morphology and late-onset forms of nerve and muscle abnormalities, whereas the other protein component, Kell, is an enzyme whose principal known function is the production of a potent bioactive peptide, ET-3.
authors.affiliation: Lindsley F Kimball Research Institute of the New York Blood Center, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Redman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019334:Endothelin-3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007626:Kell Blood-Group System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015260:Neprilysin; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019334:Endothelin-3; D007626:Kell Blood-Group System; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C087883:XK protein, human; D015260:Neprilysin