Interleukin-3 receptor

The interleukin-3 receptor (also known as CD123 antigen) is a molecule found on cells which helps transmit the signal of interleukin-3, a soluble cytokine important in the immune system.

The gene coding for the receptor is located in the pseudoautosomal region of the X and Y chromosomes.

The receptor belongs to the type I cytokine receptor family and is a heterodimer with a unique alpha chain paired with the common beta (beta c or CDw131) subunit.

The gene for the alpha subunit is 40 kilobases long and has 12 exons.

The receptor, found on pluripotent progenitor cells, induces tyrosine phosphorylation within the cell and promotes proliferation and differentiation within the hematopoietic cell lines.