Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
Published on: March 10, 2023
Origin, Organization, Dynamics, and Function of Actin and Actomyosin Networks at the T Cell Immunological Synapse
John A Hammer1, Jia C Wang1, Mezida Saeed1
1Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
Abstract:
The engagement of a T cell with an antigen-presenting cell (APC) or activating surface results in the formation within the T cell of several distinct actin and actomyosin networks. These networks reside largely within a narrow zone immediately under the T cell's plasma membrane at its site of contact with the APC or activating surface, i.e., at the immunological synapse. Here we review the origin, organization, dynamics, and function of these synapse-associated actin and actomyosin networks. Importantly, recent insights into the nature of these actin-based cytoskeletal structures were made possible in several cases by advances in light microscopy.
Related Concept Videos
The Synapse
Network Function of a Circuit
Protein Networks
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
Immunological Memory
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

