Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
09:37

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Published on: December 26, 2019

Cell polarisation and the immunological synapse

Karen L Angus1, Gillian M Griffiths

  • 1Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, England, UK.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|September 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Immune cells form an immunological synapse (IS) to direct secretion, requiring cell polarity. Novel findings reveal protein roles in centrosome relocation and actin networks enabling exocytosis during IS formation.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Directed secretion by immune cells necessitates the formation of the immunological synapse (IS) at cell-cell contact sites.
  • This process is accompanied by a significant induction of cell polarity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss recent findings advancing the understanding of immunological synapse formation.
  • To explore the mechanisms underlying induced cell polarity in immune cells.

Main Methods:

  • Super-resolution imaging techniques were employed.
  • Identification of specific proteins involved in centrosome regulation.

Main Results:

  • A protein regulating centrosome relocation to the plasma membrane was identified.
  • Super-resolution imaging revealed a residual actin network at the IS, potentially facilitating secretory granule exocytosis.
  • Parallels were drawn between primary cilia and IS architecture.

Conclusions:

  • Novel findings have significantly advanced the understanding of IS formation.
  • These insights contribute to comprehending induced cell polarity in immune cells during directed secretion.

More Related Videos

Studying Organelle Dynamics in B Cells During Immune Synapse Formation15:39

Studying Organelle Dynamics in B Cells During Immune Synapse Formation

Published on: June 1, 2019

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling10:03

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling

Published on: December 12, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins01:21

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
Polarity of the Cytoskeleton01:18

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton

The intrinsic polarity of cells can be primarily attributed to two factors- i) the asymmetric accumulation of mobile components such are regulatory molecules and subcellular components across the cell and ii) the orientation of polar cytoskeletal filaments that make up the cytoskeletal networks, specifically microfilaments, and microtubules arranged along the axis of polarity. Interactions between the cytoskeletal filaments are crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the polar nature...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation01:24

B Cell Activation and Differentiation

The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...