A Predetermined Site for The Immunological Synapse

Abstract

Background Over the last 30 years there has been great advances in understanding the interaction between T cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs). A transient structure called the immunological synapse (IS) has been discovered, functioning as a information center, pulling the strings leading up to T cell activation. Further, a T cell has a marked head-and-tail like configuration when actively seeking its target APC, with the leading edge shown to partake in the first activation events. However it has not been conclusively demonstrated that the IS is exclusively confined to this area. Thus the question whether or not there exists a pre-determined site for the immunological synapse is asked.

Methods A literature review has been done utilizing the freely available online database front-end PubMed. The terms queried where «immunological synapse», «supra-molecular activation complex» and the two combined with «predetermined site». Further the works of central authors in the field has been sought and read in detail in order to follow the scientific narrative.

Conclusion No definite proof could be found for a predetermined site on a T cell in the reviewed literature. However it is deemed likely that such a place can exist due to the conformational changes observed upon T cells actively searching its match.