THE P2Z PURINOCEPTOR - AN INTRIGUING ROLE IN IMMUNITY, INFLAMMATION AND CELL-DEATH

Many immune and inflammatory cells express a plasma membrane receptor for extracellular ATP, termed the P2Z purinoceptor, which appears to b e coupled to a plasma membrane pore. The physiological role of such a molecule is generally unknown, except for the striking susceptibility to ATP-mediated cytotoxicity that it confers. The receptor is upregula ted in human monocytes by interferon gamma and is also expressed durin g macrophage differentiation. Here, Francesco Di Virgilio discusses re cent information on this receptor, and suggests a possible role for it in the immune and inflammatory response.