geometrically repatterned immunological synapses uncover formation mechanisms几何repatterned免疫突触揭示形成机制.pdfVIP

Geometrically Repatterned Immunological Synapses Uncover Formation Mechanisms 1* 2 Marc Thilo Figge , Michael Meyer-Hermann 1 Institute for Theoretical Physics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany 2 Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The interaction of T cells and antigen-presenting cells is central to adaptive immunity and involves the formation of immunological synapses in many cases. The surface molecules of the cells form a characteristic spatial pattern whose formation mechanisms and function are largely unknown. We perform computer simulations of recent experiments on geometrically repatterned immunological synapses and explain the emerging structure as well as the formation dynamics. Only the combination of in vitro experiments and computer simulations has the potential to pinpoint the kind of interactions involved. The presented simulations make clear predictions for the structure of the immunological synapse and elucidate the role of a self-organizing attraction between complexes of T cell receptor and peptide–MHC molecule, versus a centrally directed motion of these complexes. Citation: Figge MT, Meyer-Hermann M (2006) Geometrically repatterned immunological synapses uncover formation mechanisms. PLoS Comput Biol 2(11): e171. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.0020171 Introduction imposed nanometer-scale chromium barriers within the synthetic surface. A schematic cross-section representation The recognition of pathogens by the T cells of the immune of the T cell–synthetic APC interface is shown in Figure 1, system relies on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that process