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Updated: May 28, 2025

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
Published on: December 26, 2019
Translational study of the regulatory mechanism by which immune synapses enhance immune cell function
Ya-Hui Li1, Xiao-Jun Huang1, Xiang-Yu Zhao1
1Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Haematology, National Clinical Research Center for Haematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Immune synapses, which were initially discovered at the interface between antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells, are special structures formed at the contact site between antigen-presenting cells and immune cells and constitute the structural basis for immune cells to kill tumours and synthesise antibodies. Their structures are very similar to those of neural synapses in the nervous system, and they contain different functional structural regions. With the development of cell visualization research, scientists have increasingly conducted in-depth research on immune synapses. At present, it is known that T cells, B cells, and NK cells can form different immune synapses with target cells. Immune synapses formed by different cell subsets as well as CAR-T cells have their own characteristics, mainly in terms of their structure, formation process and regulatory mechanism. Therefore, how to enhance immune cell killing function by enhancing immune synaptic function has long been a research hotspot. At present, the killing function of immune cells can be enhanced by influencing the signalling molecules of immune synapses and the cell microenvironment and modifying the structure of immune synapses. Through a review of the factors affecting immune synapses, we can better explore the target for enhancing immune system function.
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