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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Oct 28.
Published in final edited form as: J Immunol. 2011 Jan 12;186(4):10.4049/jimmunol.1003225. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003225

FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 7

Model of the regulation of PRS accessibility in thymocytes. Based on the accessibility of the CD3ε PRS to interact with the SH3.1 domain of Nck, we distinguish two conformations for the CD3 complex: closed-CD3 is inaccessible, whereas open-CD3 is accessible. CD3Δc is defined as the transition between these two alternative conformations (A, B). A, In a basal state characterized by the absence of TCR engagement with pMHC ligands, there is a minimum but positive amount of open-CD3. B, When TCR–CD3 is engaged by pMHC ligands expressed by APCs, CD3Δc increases the level of open-CD3. C, This new level of open-CD3 can endure beyond receptor engagement. Possible mechanistic and functional roles for this series of events are discussed in the text.