| Abstract: |
This is an interview with Grégoire Altan-Bonnet, senior author of a Research Article by Cotari et al. published in the 12 March 2013 issue of Science Signaling. The outcomes of many cell signaling events depend not only upon the presence or absence of proteins involved in signaling but also upon the amount of these proteins that are present in cells. The amount of any given protein may vary between genetically identical cells, and individual cells in an isogenic population may respond differently to identical stimuli. Cotari et al. used a technique called cellto- cell variability analysis to exploit this inherent variability in protein abundance to explore the quantitative regulation of signal transduction. They found that inherent variability in the abundance of cytokine receptor subunits determined the sensitivity of T cells to the cytokines IL- 2 and IL-7. This variability in cytokine sensitivity is essential for proper T cell-mediated immune responses. |
