Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The area of contact between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell (APC) is known as the immunological synapse. Although its exact function is unknown, one model suggests that it allows for T cell receptor (TCR) clustering and for sustained signaling in T cells for many hours. Here we demonstrate that TCR-mediated tyrosine kinase signaling in naïve T cells occurred primarily at the periphery of the synapse and was largely abated before mature immunological synapses had formed. These data suggest that many hours of TCR signaling are not required for T cell activation. These observations challenge current ideas about the role of immunological synapses in T cell activation.

Original publication

DOI

10.1126/science.1067710

Type

Journal article

Journal

Science

Publication Date

22/02/2002

Volume

295

Pages

1539 - 1542

Keywords

Animals, Antigen-Presenting Cells, Cell Division, Cells, Cultured, Down-Regulation, Endocytosis, Enzyme Activation, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Intercellular Junctions, Lymphocyte Activation, Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1, Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck), Mice, Mice, Transgenic, Peptides, Protein-Tyrosine Kinases, Receptor Aggregation, Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, Signal Transduction, T-Lymphocytes, Time Factors, ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase