Signal transduction by lymphocyte antigen receptors

B and T lymphocytes use a similar signal transduction mechanism to induce responses. The oligomeric receptors in these cells possess distinct recognition and signal transduction subunits. B and T cells interact with PTK cells using common sequence motifs. The balance between the actions of PTPases and receptor-regulated PTKs control the tyrosine-phosphorylating action of phospholipase C. Calcineurin and Ras are among the downstream effectors of lymphokine gene expression.