Pre-B and pre-T-cell receptors: conservation of strategies in regulating early lymphocyte development

Early lymphocyte development is characterized by the regulated activity of the V(D)J recombinase and the positive and negative selection of cells base d on the structure of their assembled antigen receptor genes. Developing B and T cells use remarkably similar signaling complexes, the pre-B-cell rece ptor (pre-BCR) and the pre-T-cell receptor (pre-TCR) respectively, to monit or the progress of antigen receptor gene assembly This review will compare and contrast the regulation and activities of the pre-BCR and prc-TCR signa ling complexes, in addition, we will consider a number of critical but as y et unanswered questions prompted by such an analysis.