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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
Published on: December 26, 2019
Imaging: Gear up for mechano-immunology
Zhengpeng Wan1, Samina Shaheen2, Alicia Chau2
1MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Immune cells including B and T lymphocytes have a remarkable ability to sense the physical perturbations through their surface expressed receptors. At the advent of modern imaging technologies paired with biophysical methods, we have gained the understanding of mechanical forces exerted by immune cells to perform their functions. This review will go over the imaging techniques already being used to study mechanical forces in immune cells. We will also discuss the dire need for new modern technologies for future work.
Immune cells including B and T lymphocytes have a remarkable ability to sense the physical perturbations through their surface expressed receptors. At the advent of modern imaging technologies paired with biophysical methods, we have gained the understanding of mechanical forces exerted by immune cells to perform their functions. This review will go over the imaging techniques already being used to study mechanical forces in immune cells. We will also discuss the dire need for new modern technologies for future work.
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