TIM polymorphisms--genetics and function.

The transmembrane immunoglobulin and mucin domain (TIM) family was identified more than a decade ago. Although the founding member of the family was first described in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion injury, much of the recent interest in the TIM family members has focused on their potential roles in immunity. There are now a large number of genetic studies that have investigated the possible association of various TIM1 and TIM3 polymorphisms with different diseases. Here, we review this body of literature, and highlight some of the most interesting studies.