Figure 1.

CD1–glycolipid complexes. The murine CD1d protein crystal structure demonstrates that the α1 and α2 domains of the CD1 heavy chain form a groove structure. The groove is lined by non-polar amino acids, which render it able to bind the aliphatic hydrocarbon chains of antigens, positioning the hydrophilic elements of the antigen for direct contact with antigen-specific TCRs. Figures are reprinted with permission from Blackwell Science Ltd and the American Advancement of Science.⁵,¹⁵