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Updated: Sep 25, 2026

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
Published on: December 26, 2019
The diversity of immunological synapses
Alain Trautmann1, Salvatore Valitutti
1Départment de Biologie Cellulaire, Institut COCHIN, Institut National de la santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 22, rue Méchain 75014, Paris, France.
Immunological synapses (ISs) are specialised signalling domains characterised by complex molecular clustering and segregation at the contact site between cells of the immune system. T lymphocytes form different ISs depending on their state of activation and on the antigen-presenting cells with which they interact. The structural features of the various ISs are better established than the functions they carry out. Recent advances point to the importance of taking into account diversity in both the structures and the functions of IS.
Immunological synapses (ISs) are specialised signalling domains characterised by complex molecular clustering and segregation at the contact site between cells of the immune system. T lymphocytes form different ISs depending on their state of activation and on the antigen-presenting cells with which they interact. The structural features of the various ISs are better established than the functions they carry out. Recent advances point to the importance of taking into account diversity in both the structures and the functions of IS.
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