CYTOKINE RECEPTOR SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION AND THE CONTROL OF HEMATOPOIETIC-CELL DEVELOPMENT

The cytokine receptor superfamily is characterized by structural motif s in the exoplasmic domain and by the absence of catalytic activity in the cytosolic segment. Activated by ligand-triggered multimerization, these receptors in turn activate a number of cytosolic signal transdu ction proteins, including protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases, a nd affect an array of cellular functions that include proliferation an d differentiation. Molecular study of these receptors is revealing the roles they play in the control of normal hematopoiesis and in the dev elopment of disease.