title: The long elusive IgM Fc receptor, FcμR.
abstract: IgM exists as both a monomer on the surface of B cells and a pentamer secreted by plasma cells. Both pre-immune "natural" and antigen-induced "immune" IgM antibodies are important for protective immunity and for immune regulation of autoimmune processes by recognizing pathogens and self-antigens. Effector proteins interacting with the Fc portion of IgM, such as complement and complement receptors, have thus far been proposed but fail to fully account for the IgM-mediated protection and regulation. A major reason for this deficit in our understanding of IgM function seems to be lack of data on a long elusive Fc receptor for IgM (FcμR). We have recently identified a bona fide FcμR in both humans and mice. In this article we briefly review what we have learned so far about FcμR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35209, USA, hiromikubagawa@uab.edu.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubagawa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubagawa
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Torii
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Dong-Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dewitt
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Naonori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyawaki
authors.forename: Luigi F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: Sheila K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honjo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D056747:Immunomodulation; D051379:Mice; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011961:Receptors, Fc; C035311:immunoglobulin M receptor