Biological and clinical significance of the JAK-STAT pathway; lessons fromknockout mice

Originally described as the signal-transducing pathway of interferons, the JAK-STAT pathway soon turned out to participate in the signalling of numero us other immune and even non-immune mediators. Several murine knockout mode ls have been described that underline the biological significance of this s ignalling system. Some human diseases (mainly neoplastic) are also known wh ere malfunctioning of the JAK-STAT pathway is considered to participate in the pathogenesis. In this brief review article we will try to make a synops is of its biological and clinical significance.