This gene encodes a receptor for the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G, and it is involved in the removal of antigen-antibody complexes from the circulation, as well as other other antibody-dependent responses. This gene (FCGR3A) is highly similar to another nearby gene (FCGR3B) located on chromosome 1. The receptor encoded by this gene is expressed on natural killer (NK) cells as an integral membrane glycoprotein anchored through a transmembrane peptide, whereas FCGR3B is expressed on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) where the receptor is anchored through a phosphatidylinositol (PI) linkage. Mutations in this gene have been linked to susceptibility to recurrent viral infections, susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus, and alloimmune neonatal neutropenia. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene.
