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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

A TIRF Microscopy Technique for Real-time, Simultaneous Imaging of the TCR and its Associated Signaling Proteins
Published on: March 22, 2012
Studying the Dynamics of TCR Internalization at the Immune Synapse
Enrique Calleja1, Balbino Alarcón1, Clara L Oeste2
1Cell Biology and Immunology Department, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
Establishing a stable interaction between a T cell and an antigen presenting cell (APC) involves the formation of an immune synapse (IS). It is through this structure that the T cell can integrate all the signals provided by the APC. The IS also serves as a mechanism for TCR downregulation through internalization. Here, we describe methods for visualizing MHC-engaged T cell receptor (TCR) internalization from the IS in human cell lines and mouse primary T cells by confocal fluorescence microscopy techniques.
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