biology

Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor

Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor rather than just read about it. In short: LIFR also known as CD118 (Cluster of Differentiation 118), is a subunit of a receptor for leukemia inhibitory factor. Function The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a polyfunctional cytokine that affects the differentiation, survival, and proliferation of a wide variety of cells in the adult and the embryo.

Key takeaways

Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

LIFR also known as CD118 (Cluster of Differentiation 118), is a subunit of a receptor for leukemia inhibitory factor.

Function The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a polyfunctional cytokine that affects the differentiation, survival, and proliferation of a wide variety of cells in the adult and the embryo. LIF action appears to be mediated through a high-affinity receptor complex composed of a low-affinity LIF binding chain (LIF receptor) and a high-affinity converter subunit, glycoprotein 130 (IL6ST, gp130). Both LIFR and gp130 are members of a family of cytokine receptors that includes components of the receptors for the majority of hematopoietic cytokines and for cytokines that affect other systems, including the ciliary neurotrophic factor, growth hormone and prolactin.

Interactions Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor has been shown to interact with glycoprotein 130. LIFR has also been identified as a breast cancer metastasis suppressor that functions through the Hippo-YAP pathway. LIFR is down regulated in a number of breast carcinomas and may serve a prognostic tool.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor

In research: Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor 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: Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Clusters of differentiation, Genes on human chromosome 5, Leukemia, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor in 20 minutes

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

Frequently asked questions

What is Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor in simple terms?

LIFR also known as CD118 (Cluster of Differentiation 118), is a subunit of a receptor for leukemia inhibitory factor. Function The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a polyfunctional cytokine that affects the differentiation, survival, and proliferation of a wide variety of cells in the adult and…

Why does Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor 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 Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor.