[4] Typically type II cytokine receptors are heterodimers or multimers with a high and a low affinity component.
These receptors are related predominantly by sequence similarities in their extracellular portions that are composed of tandem Ig-like domains.
The structures for the extracellular domains of the receptors for interferon types, I, II, and III are all known.
Binding of the receptor typically leads to activation of the canonical JAK/STAT signaling pathway.
Type I interferons play important roles in both the adaptive and innate immune responses, prevent proliferation of pathogens, and have antiviral activities.