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Image of CD4 co-receptor binding to MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) non-polymorphic region. In molecular biology, CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4) is a glycoprotein that serves as a co-receptor for the T-cell receptor (TCR). CD4 is found on the surface of immune cells such as helper T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells.
The CD family of co-receptors are a well-studied group of extracellular receptors found in immunological cells. [4] The CD receptor family typically act as co-receptors, illustrated by the classic example of CD4 acting as a co-receptor to the T cell receptor (TCR) to bind major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II). [5]
CD4-Ig works by mimicking the binding of CD4 to HIV, thereby preventing the virus from infecting T-helper cells. HIV infects T-helper cells by binding to the CD4 receptor and the co-receptor CCR5 or CXCR4. CD4-Ig binds to the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120, which is responsible for HIV binding to CD4. By binding to gp120, CD4-Ig prevents the ...
The binding of the antigen-MHC to the TCR complex and CD4 may also help the APC and the T h cell adhere during T h cell activation, but the integrin protein LFA-1 on the T cell and ICAM on the APC are the primary molecules of adhesion in this cell interaction.
Cellular membranes separate these two cellular environments - intracellular and extracellular. Each T cell can only recognize tens to hundreds of copies of a unique sequence of a single peptide among thousands of other peptides presented on the same cell, because an MHC molecule in one cell can bind to quite a large range of peptides.
Antigen presentation stimulates immature T cells to become either mature "cytotoxic" CD8+ cells or mature "helper" CD4+ cells. An antigen-presenting cell (APC) or accessory cell is a cell that displays an antigen bound by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on its surface; this process is known as antigen presentation.
This discovery furthered the development of a previously hypothesized theory, the immunosurveillance theory. The immunosurveillance theory suggests that the immune system routinely patrols the cells of the body, and, upon recognition of a cell, or group of cells, that has become cancerous, it will attempt to destroy them, thus preventing the growth of some tumors.
CD4 cells develop into a diverse array of effector cell types depending on the nature of the signals they receive during priming. CD4 effector activity can include cytotoxicity , but more frequently it involves the secretion of a set of cytokines that directs the target cell to make a particular response.