Toll-like Receptor (TLR)

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved, type I transmembrane proteins that play a central role in the innate immune system. They function as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), detecting pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to initiate immune responses. They are composed of an extracellular LRR domain for ligand recognition, a transmembrane helix, and a cytoplasmic TIR domain for downstream signaling.

Other names

Toll-like receptorsTLR1TLR2TLR3TLR4TLR5TLR6TLR7TLR8TLR9TLR10TLR11TLR12TLR13

TLRs recognize PAMPs and DAMPs, leading to activation of intracellular signaling pathways via adaptor proteins like MyD88 and TRIF, ultimately inducing the expression of genes involved in inflammation and immunity.