The PDCD1 gene encodes a cell surface receptor that is a member of the B7 (see CD80; MIM.112203)/CD28 (MIM.186760) superfamily involved in immunomodulation.
PDCD1 acts as an inhibitory molecule on T cells after interacting with its ligands PDL1 (MIM.605402) and PDL2 (MIM.605723).
Programmed cell death (PCD) is essential for generation of the complex structural and functional organization of various organs and systems in the living organism. Most of the cells undergoing PCD require transcriptional activation of genes that are essential for cell death.
References
Primary Cutaneous CD4+ Small/Medium-sized Pleomorphic T-cell Lymphoma Expresses Follicular T-cell Markers. Rodríguez Pinilla SM, Roncador G, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Mollejo M, García JF, Montes-Moreno S, Camacho FI, Ortiz P, Limeres-González MA, Torres A, Campo E, Navarro-Conde P, Piris MA. Am J Surg Pathol. 2008 Nov 3. PMID: 18987541