biology

Interleukin-4 receptor

Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor rather than just read about it. In short: The interleukin 4 receptor is a type I cytokine receptor. It is a heterodimer, that is, composed of two subunits.

Key takeaways

Interleukin-4 receptor belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Interleukin-4 receptor to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Interleukin-4 receptor from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The interleukin 4 receptor is a type I cytokine receptor. It is a heterodimer, that is, composed of two subunits. IL4R is the human gene coding for IL-4Rα, the subunit which combines with either common gamma chain (γc, forming the type I IL4 receptor) or with IL-13Rα1 (forming the type II IL4 receptor).

Function This gene encodes the alpha chain of the interleukin-4 receptor, a type I transmembrane protein that can bind interleukin 4 and interleukin 13 to regulate IgE antibody production in B cells. Among T cells, the encoded protein also can bind interleukin 4 to promote differentiation of Th2 cells. A soluble form of the encoded protein can be produced by an alternate splice variant or by proteolysis of the membrane-bound protein, and this soluble form can inhibit IL4-mediated cell proliferation and IL5 upregulation by T-cells. Allelic variations in this gene have been associated with atopy, a condition that can manifest itself as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, or eczema. Two transcript variants encoding different isoforms, a membrane-bound and a soluble form, have been found for this gene. Interactions of IL-4 with TNFα promote structural changes to vascular endothelial cells, thus playing an important role in tissue inflammation. The binding of IL-4 or IL-13 to the IL-4 receptor on the surface of macrophages results in the alternative activation of those macrophages. Alternatively activated macrophages (AAMΦ) downregulate inflammatory mediators such as IFNγ during immune responses, particularly with regards to helminth infections.

Interactions Interleukin-4 receptor has been shown to interact with SHC1.

Structure The N-terminal (extracellular) portion of interleukin-4 receptor is related in overall topology to fibronectin type III modules and folds into a sandwich comprising seven antiparallel beta sheets arranged in a three-strand and a four-strand beta-pleated sheet. They are required for binding of interleukin-4 to the receptor alpha chain, which is a crucial event for the generation of a Th2-dominated early immune response.

See also Macrophage-activating factor Macrophage polarization Cluster of differentiation Fibronectin type III domain

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Interleukin-4 receptor

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor

In research: Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor 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: Interleukin-4 receptor is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Clusters of differentiation, Genes on human chromosome 16, Protein domains, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Interleukin-4 receptor in simple terms?

The interleukin 4 receptor is a type I cytokine receptor. It is a heterodimer, that is, composed of two subunits.

Why does Interleukin-4 receptor 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 Interleukin-4 receptor?

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 Interleukin-4 receptor.