Human receptors for immunoglobulin G: Key elements in the pathogenesis of rheumatic disease

Abstract

The structural diversity of FcγR provides a mechanism by which IgG can elicit a broad range of cell responses. FcγR vary in their affinity for IgG, their preference for IgG subclasses, the cell types in which they are expressed, and the intracellular signals which they elicit - stimulatory or inhibitory. Expansion in our knowledge of structure-function relationships among FcγR has identified them as heritable risk factors for disease susceptibility and valuable targets for therapeutic modulation of the immune system.