Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The overall degree of complexity of the T cell surface has been unclear, constraining our understanding of its biology. Using global gene expression analysis, we show that 111 of 374 genes encoding well-characterized leukocyte surface antigens are expressed by a resting cytotoxic T cell. Unexpectedly, of 97 stringently defined, T cell-specific transcripts with unknown functions that we identify, none encode proteins with the modular architecture characteristic of 80% of leukocyte surface antigens. Only two encode proteins with membrane topologies found exclusively in cell surface molecules. Our analysis indicates that the cell type-specific composition of the resting CD8+ T cell surface is now largely defined, providing an insight into the overall compositional complexity of the mammalian cell surface and a framework for formulating systematic models of T cell surface-dependent processes, such as T cell receptor triggering.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/s1074-7613(03)00198-5

Type

Journal article

Journal

Immunity

Publication Date

08/2003

Volume

19

Pages

213 - 223

Keywords

Antigens, Surface, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cell Membrane, Clone Cells, Gene Expression, Gene Library, Humans, Killer Cells, Natural, T-Lymphocytes, T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic, Transcription, Genetic