biology

IL31RA

IL31RA is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IL31RA rather than just read about it. In short: Interleukin-31 receptor A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL31RA gene. IL31RA is related to gp130 (IL6ST; MIM 600694), the common receptor subunit for IL6 (MIM 147620)-type cytokines.

Key takeaways

IL31RA belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IL31RA to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IL31RA from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Interleukin-31 receptor A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL31RA gene. IL31RA is related to gp130 (IL6ST; MIM 600694), the common receptor subunit for IL6 (MIM 147620)-type cytokines. Oncostatin M receptor (OSMR; MIM 601743) and IL31RA form the heterodimeric receptor through which IL31 (MIM 609509) signals. Expression of IL31RA and OSMR mRNA is induced in activated monocytes, and both mRNAs are constitutively expressed in epithelial cells (Dillon et al., 2004).[supplied by OMIM]

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IL31RA

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IL31RA claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IL31RA before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IL31RA ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IL31RA

In research: IL31RA appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IL31RA in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IL31RA is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 5, Human chromosome 5 gene stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IL31RA outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IL31RA in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IL31RA means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IL31RA out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IL31RA in simple terms?

Interleukin-31 receptor A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL31RA gene. IL31RA is related to gp130 (IL6ST; MIM 600694), the common receptor subunit for IL6 (MIM 147620)-type cytokines.

Why does IL31RA matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IL31RA?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IL31RA.