Description
CXCR4 (Chemokine,CXC Motif, Receptor 4), also known as FUSIN or NPY3R, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CXCR4 gene. It is the receptor for the CXC chemokine SDF1 that has essential functions on embryo organogenesis, immunological functions and T lymphocyte trafficking. CXCR4 is the only SDF1 receptor identified so far. This suggests that CXCR4 expression is critical for the biological effects of SDF1. CXCR4 is also a seven-transmembrane-spanning, G-protein-coupled receptor for the CXC chemokine PBSF/SDF-1. It functions as a co-receptor for T-cell-line tropic human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1. It was concluded that PBSF/SDF-1 and CXCR4 define a new signalling system for organ vascularization