Description
Interleukin-21 receptor, also known as IL-21 receptor, IL-21R, Novel interleukin receptor, IL21R and NILR, is a single-pass type I membrane protein which belongs to the type I cytokine receptor family and Type 4 subfamily. Interleukin-21 (IL-21) belongs to a family of cytokines,and has been shown to form a heterodimeric receptor complex with the common gamma-chain, a receptor subunit also shared by the receptors for interleukin 2, 4, 7, 9, and 15. This receptor transduces the growth promoting signal of IL21, and is important for the proliferation and differentiation of T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. The ligand binding of this receptor leads to the activation of multiple downstream signaling molecules, including JAK1, JAK3, STAT1, and STAT3.