| Gene summary | The IgE receptor plays a central role in allergic disease, coupling allergen and mast cell to initiate the inflammatory and immediate hypersensitivity responses that are characteristic of disorders such as hay fever and asthma. The allergic response occurs when 2 or more high-affinity IgE receptors are crosslinked via IgE molecules that in turn are bound to an allergen (antigen) molecule. A perturbation occurs that brings about the release of histamine and proteases from the granules in the cytoplasm of the mast cell and leads to the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes--potent effectors of the hypersensitivity response. The IgE receptor consists of 3 subunits: alpha, beta (MIM 147138), and gamma (MIM 147139); only the alpha subunit is glycosylated.[supplied by OMIM] |
