FCER1A

Fc fragment of IgE, high affinity I, receptor for; alpha polypeptide, also known as FCER1A, is a is_associated_with::protein which in humans is encoded by the FCER1A is_associated_with::gene.

Function
The high affinity IgE receptor plays a central role in allergic disease, coupling allergen and is_associated_with::mast cell to initiate the inflammatory and immediate hypersensitivity responses that are characteristic of disorders such as hay fever and asthma. The allergic response occurs when 2 or more IgE receptors are crosslinked via IgE molecules that in turn are bound to an allergen (antigen) molecule. A perturbation occurs that brings about the release of histamine and proteases from the granules in the cytoplasm of the mast cell and leads to the synthesis of is_associated_with::prostaglandins and is_associated_with::leukotrienes--potent effectors of the hypersensitivity response. The IgE receptor consists of 3 subunits: alpha (this protein), beta, and gamma; only the alpha subunit is glycosylated.