GCSF is a family of higher eukaryotic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor proteins. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors are cytokines that are involved in haematopoeisis. They control the production, differentiation and function of white blood cell granulocytes. GCSF binds to the extracellular Ig-like and CRH domain of its receptor GCSFR, thereby triggering the receptor to homodimerise [1]. Homodimerisation result in activation of Janus tyrosine kinase-signal transducers and other activators of transcription (JAK-STAT)-type signalling cascades [2].

1: Atomic structure of the GCSF-receptor complex showing a new cytokine-receptor recognition scheme. Aritomi M, Kunishima N, Okamoto T, Kuroki R, Ota Y, Morikawa K; Nature. 1999;401:713-717. PMID:10537111

2: Homodimeric cross-over structure of the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) receptor signaling complex. Tamada T, Honjo E, Maeda Y, Okamoto T, Ishibashi M, Tokunaga M, Kuroki R; Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006;103:3135-3140. PMID:16492764