DETAILED DESCRIPTION Ligand binding partners as defined herein are proteins known to function to bind specifically to target ligand molecules, and are generally found in their native state as secreted or membrane bound polypeptides; membrane-bound ligand binding partners typically include a hydrophobic transmembrane region or phospholipid anchor.
Ligand binding partners include receptors and carrier proteins, as well as hormones, cellular adhesive proteins (proteins which direct or induce the adhesion of one cell to another), lectin binding molecules, growth factors, enzymes, nutrient substances and the like.
CD antigens which are not members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily or otherwise excluded as set forth above are suitable ligand binding partners, Knapp et al.
, Immunology Today 10 (8):253-258, 1989, specifically incorporated by reference.
The platelet growth factor receptor and insulin receptor may optionally be ligand binding partners.
Ligand binding partners include not only the full length native form, but truncations or other amino acid sequence variants that remain capable of binding to the normal ligand.
As used herein, the term "ligand binding partner" specifically excludes polymorphic and nonpolymorphic members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily, and proteins which are homologous thereto, such as class I and class II major histocompatibility antigens, immunoglobulins, T-cell receptor .
alpha.
.
beta.
, .
gamma.
and .
delta.
chains, CD1, CD2, CD4, CD8, CD28, the .
gamma.
, .
delta.
and .
epsilon.
chains of CD3, OX-2, Thy-1, the intercellular or neural cell adhesion molecules (I-CAM or N-CAM), lymphocyte function associated antigen-3 (LFA-3), neurocytoplasmic protein (NCP-3), poly-Ig receptor, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), high affinity IgE receptor, the major glycoprotein of peripheral myelin (Po), platelet derived growth factor receptor, colony stimulating factor-1 receptor, macrophage Fc receptor, Fc gamma receptors and carcinoembryonic antigen.
Homologous to a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily, for the purposes of this exclusion only, means having the sequence of a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily or having a sequence therewithin which has substantially the same (or a greater degree of) amino acid sequence homology to a known member of the superfamily as the specific examples given above have to the sequence of an immunoglobulin variable or constant domain
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