Fine-tuning lymphocyte regulation: what’s new with tyrosine kinases and phosphatases?

Although the basic mechanisms of lymphocyte signaling have been established, recent studies have provided new insights into how fine-tuning the regulation of tyrosine kinases and phosphatases contributes to the delicate balance required for appropriate lymphocyte activation. Recent studies include new work on the roles of the immune synapse in regulating T-cell receptor signaling, the discovery of new functions for the Src-family kinase Fyn and the Tec kinase Itk, particularly in regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, and new insights into positive and negative feedback mechanisms in antigen receptor signaling.