MAFA

MAFA (Mast cell function-associated antigen) is a type II membranal glycoprotein, first identified on the surface of rat mucosal-type mast cells of the RBL-2H3 line. More recently, human and mouse homologues of MAFA have been discovered yet also (or only) expressed by NK and T-cells.cite web
last =Abramson
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =Jakub Abramson, Rong Xu and Israel Pecht; Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
title =An unusual inhibitory receptor—the mast cell function-associated antigen (MAFA)
work =
publisher =sciencedirect.com
date =Received 24 December 2001; accepted 18 January 2002. Available online 21 June 2002
url =http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T9R-463Y479-4&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1c43f7d67b2e22d86147c960e167c994
format =web
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-10 ]

The intracellular domain of MAFA contains a single immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM), which clasifies MAFA as a member of an inhibitory receptor superfamily. The inhibitory capacity of MAFA is best defined in mast cells, where MAFA keeps in check the antigen-induced (i.e. Fc epsilon RI-induced) secretion of inflammatory mediators.Fact|date=May 2008

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