Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
10:00
Visualization of the Immunological Synapse by Dual Color Time-gated Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) Nanoscopy
Published on: March 25, 2014
The protean immune cell synapse: a supramolecular structure with many functions
Daniel M Davis1, Tadahiko Igakura, Fiona E McCann
1Department of Biological Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK. d.davis@imperial.ac.uk
Seminars in Immunology
|March 6, 2004
Summary
Immune cell synapses exhibit diverse supramolecular organization due to varying cell types, stimuli, and protein expression. This diversity impacts cell interactions and functions during immune surveillance and viral transmission.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Immunological synapses are crucial for cell-cell communication in the immune system.
- The organization of proteins and lipids at these synapses is complex and dynamic.
- Factors like cell type, environment, and protein levels contribute to synapse variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the heterogeneity in supramolecular organization of immunological synapses.
- To understand how this heterogeneity influences immune surveillance and viral transmission.
- To investigate the diversity in cell surface molecule transfer and viral synapse formation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of protein and lipid expression levels at immune cell contacts.
- Microscopy techniques to visualize supramolecular organization at intercellular junctions.
- Investigating molecular mechanisms of receptor organization during immune cell interactions.
Main Results:
- Significant heterogeneity observed in immunological synapse organization.
- Variations in cell surface protein and lipid transfer between lymphocytes identified.
- Evidence of 'viral synapse' formation during virus transmission between T cells.
Conclusions:
- Supramolecular organization of immunological synapses is highly diverse.
- This diversity arises from multiple factors including cell type, stimuli, and molecular expression.
- Understanding synapse heterogeneity is key to comprehending immune surveillance and viral spread.
Related Concept Videos
02:47The Synapse
Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
02:41Protein Complex Assembly
Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types. Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
02:04Protein-protein Interfaces
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a polypeptide...
01:57Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
Groups of proteins may form a complex where each protein in this complex has a different role in the overall execution of the complex’s function. Often some of the proteins in the complex can be replaced by a closely related variant to give a complex that contains many of the same components yet is functionally distinct.
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
01:57Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
Groups of proteins may form a complex where each protein in this complex has a different role in the overall execution of the complex’s function. Often some of the proteins in the complex can be replaced by a closely related variant to give a complex that contains many of the same components yet is functionally distinct.
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
01:30Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Multiprotein signaling complexes are formed in a dynamic process involving protein-protein interactions at the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane receptors or enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins associated with the receptor. These complexes ensure the activation and propagation of intracellular signals that regulate cell functions.
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...