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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
Published on: December 26, 2019
The cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune synapse at a glance
Nele M G Dieckmann1, Gordon L Frazer1, Yukako Asano1
1Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
Abstract:
The immune synapse provides an important structure for communication with immune cells. Studies on immune synapses formed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) highlight the dynamic changes and specialised mechanisms required to facilitate focal signalling and polarised secretion in immune cells. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we illustrate the different steps that reveal the specialised mechanisms used to focus secretion at the CTL immune synapse and allow CTLs to be such efficient and precise serial killers.
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