Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

An Endothelial Planar Cell Model for Imaging Immunological Synapse Dynamics
Published on: December 24, 2015
The immunological synapse and CD28-CD80 interactions
S K Bromley1, A Iaboni, S J Davis
1Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis MO, USA.
Abstract:
According to the two-signal model of T cell activation, costimulatory molecules augment T cell receptor (TCR) signaling, whereas adhesion molecules enhance TCR-MHC-peptide recognition. The structure and binding properties of CD28 imply that it may perform both functions, blurring the distinction between adhesion and costimulatory molecules. Our results show that CD28 on naïve T cells does not support adhesion and has little or no capacity for directly enhancing TCR-MHC-peptide interactions. Instead of being dependent on costimulatory signaling, we propose that a key function of the immunological synapse is to generate a cellular microenvironment that favors the interactions of potent secondary signaling molecules, such as CD28.
Related Concept Videos
Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved in a...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...

