Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Ex vivo Imaging of T Cells in Murine Lymph Node Slices with Widefield and Confocal Microscopes
09:45

Ex vivo Imaging of T Cells in Murine Lymph Node Slices with Widefield and Confocal Microscopes

Published on: July 15, 2011

A stochastic view of lymphocyte motility and trafficking within the lymph node

Sindy H Wei1, Ian Parker, Mark J Miller

  • 1Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4561, USA.

Immunological Reviews
|September 13, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Two-photon microscopy reveals how lymphocytes move and recognize antigens in lymphoid organs. Random cell migration, not chemotaxis, may drive antigen recognition in native tissues.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Lymphoid organs are critical for immune responses.
  • Understanding lymphocyte behavior in vivo is essential for immunology.
  • In vitro studies provide extensive data on lymphocyte motility and signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and analyze lymphocyte motility and antigen recognition in the native tissue environment.
  • To compare in vivo findings with extensive in vitro literature.
  • To propose a model for antigen recognition in lymphoid organs.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing two-photon microscopy for cellular dynamics in lymphoid organs.
  • Analyzing three-dimensional images to understand cell migration mechanisms.
  • Reviewing existing literature on lymphocyte motility, signaling, and chemotaxis in vitro.

Main Results:

  • Two-photon microscopy offers insights into cellular dynamics within lymphoid organs.
  • Analysis of 3D images elucidates mechanisms of cell migration and antigen recognition in vivo.
  • In vivo observations are contrasted with a substantial body of in vitro data.

Conclusions:

  • Lymphocyte random migration may facilitate a stochastic mechanism for antigen recognition in lymphoid organs.
  • Antigen recognition in vivo might not be primarily guided by chemotaxis.
  • The native tissue environment presents unique dynamics for lymphocyte function.

More Related Videos

Quantifying Leukocyte Egress via Lymphatic Vessels from Murine Skin and Tumors08:39

Quantifying Leukocyte Egress via Lymphatic Vessels from Murine Skin and Tumors

Published on: January 7, 2019

Imaging CD4 T Cell Interstitial Migration in the Inflamed Dermis11:28

Imaging CD4 T Cell Interstitial Migration in the Inflamed Dermis

Published on: March 25, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration01:21

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon towards...