Interleukin-4isacytokineproducedbyactivatedTcells,mastcells,andbasophilsthatelicitsmanyimportantbiologicalresponses[1](seeTab1).TheseresponsesrangefromtheregulationofhelperTcelldifferentiation[2]andtheproductionofIgE[3]totheregulationoftheadhesivepropertiesofendothelialcellsviaVCAM-1[4],Inkeepingwiththesepersebiologicaleffects,high-affinitybindingsitesforIL-4(Kd20to300pM)havebeendetectedonmanyhematopoieticandnon-hematopoieticcelltypesatlevelsrangingfrom50to5000sitespercell[5].ThisreviewwillfocusonthediscretesignaltransductionpathwaysactivatedbytheIL-4recxeptorandthecoordinationoftheseinpidualpathwaysintheregulationofafinalbiologicaloutcome.
