Obviously different researchers are attacking various aspects of cell development in CLL, but the common theme running throughout is to better understand the pattern of cell survival and migration. As I describe elsewhere, once the researchers understand the processes of cell stimulation, or cell signalling, they hope to be able to find ways of blocking this. Each cell has receptors, commonly found on the cell surface. Monocytes develop into macrophages after leaving the bone marrow, while macrophages play a key role in the immune system as they ingest antigens and help leukocytes recognise foreign matter. However, in CLL, it seems that GM-CSF also plays a key role in preserving immature white cells.
Cytokines are basically small proteins on the cell surface involved in cell signalling.
As I understand it, receptors do more than just act as sites for binding to antigens. There are different types of receptors and their structure determines how foreign matter is recognised. So although cell receptors have an important role to play in the immune system through the destruction of antigens, researchers are focusing their effort to get a better understanding of these receptors. They are looking at ways of blocking GM-CSF, or preventing the signal to the malignant cell to survive. But the problem is that it is not only GM-CSF that can send such signals of cell survival.