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Abstract

Despite considerable information regarding the structure and expression of granzymes, the serine proteases that reside in the cytotoxic granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), little is known about their physiologic substrates or their role in the economy of these effector cells. From a conceptual framework, such proteases may act on the effector cells themselves (“cis” action), on the target cells (“trans”), or in a more nonspecific fashion; current information remains sketchy and controversial. In this chapter, the functional properties and possible physiologic roles of CTL granzymes will be reviewed, with particular reference to granzyme A.

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© 1993 Birkhäuser Boston

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Pasternack, M.S. (1993). The Role of Granzyme A in Cytotoxic Lymphocyte-Mediated Lysis. In: Sitkovsky, M.V., Henkart, P.A. (eds) Cytotoxic Cells: Recognition, Effector Function, Generation, and Methods. Birkhäuser Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6814-4_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6814-4_24

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Boston

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-6816-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6814-4

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