Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 27, 2025

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
09:37

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Published on: December 26, 2019

14.4K

Lytic granule exocytosis at immune synapses: lessons from neuronal synapses

Hsin-Fang Chang1, Claudia Schirra1, Varsha Pattu1

  • 1Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.

Frontiers in Immunology
|June 5, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Regulated exocytosis is key for cellular communication, including neurotransmission and immune responses. This review details molecular mechanisms in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and compares them to neuronal systems.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Immunology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Regulated exocytosis is a fundamental cellular process for communication, vital in neurotransmission, hormone release, and immune functions.
  • In cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), exocytosis releases cytotoxic molecules like granzymes and perforin via the immunological synapse.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms governing CTL exocytosis remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular players involved in regulated exocytosis in CTLs.
  • To compare and contrast CTL exocytosis with neuronal synaptic transmission.
  • To evaluate the advantages and limitations of both systems for studying exocytosis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of molecular mechanisms in CTL exocytosis.
  • Comparative analysis of CTL and neuronal exocytosis pathways.
  • Discussion of experimental methodologies for studying exocytosis.

Main Results:

  • Identified key molecular players in CTL regulated exocytosis.
  • Highlighted similarities and differences between CTL and neuronal exocytosis.
  • Assessed the strengths and weaknesses of different model systems for exocytosis research.

Conclusions:

  • Regulated exocytosis in CTLs shares common principles with neuronal exocytosis but has unique features.
  • Understanding CTL exocytosis is crucial for immune system function.
  • Comparative studies enhance our understanding of exocytosis across different biological systems.

Keywords:
CD8+ cellsSNARE proteinscytotoxic T lymphocytesendocytosisexocytosisneuronsynapse

More Related Videos

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Immune Synapse in the Human System Using Imaging Flow Cytometry08:35

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Immune Synapse in the Human System Using Imaging Flow Cytometry

Published on: January 7, 2019

11.6K
Visualization of the Immunological Synapse by Dual Color Time-gated Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Nanoscopy10:00

Visualization of the Immunological Synapse by Dual Color Time-gated Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Nanoscopy

Published on: March 24, 2014

78.1K

Related Concept Videos

Exocytosis00:50

Exocytosis

Exocytosis is a process that releases molecules outside the cell. Like other bulk transport mechanisms, exocytosis requires energy.
Exocytosis is the opposite of endocytosis, which brings molecules inside the cell. Sometimes, the released materials are signaling molecules. For example, neurons typically use exocytosis to release neurotransmitters. Cells also use exocytosis to insert proteins such as ion channels into their cell membranes, secrete proteins for use in the extracellular matrix, or...
6.9K
Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
11.2K
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...
2.6K
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
125.9K
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
5.7K
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
1.8K