title: Controlling the immune system through semaphorins.
abstract: Semaphorins provide crucial attractive and repulsive cues involved in axon guidance. Several semaphorins have also been detected in cells of the immune system. Their influence on cell motility has been reported and is reminiscent of the biological function attributed to nervous system semaphorins. Receptors of the plexin and neuropilin family of proteins, also expressed by some immune cells, may be involved in semaphorin signaling in the immune system. However, semaphorins also affect the functioning of the immune system through receptors regulating lymphocyte activation. An important challenge in the future will be to determine whether, as in the nervous system, semaphorins help immune cells to establish connections with their appropriate targets.
authors.affiliation: Institut Cochin, Département de Biologie Cellulaire, 22 rue Méchain, 75014 Paris, France. bismuth@cochin.inserm.fr
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bismuth
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boumsell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D039961:Semaphorins; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; C093224:CD100 antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D039961:Semaphorins