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The Immunological Synapse, TCR Microclusters, and T Cell Activation

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Book cover Immunological Synapse

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 340))

Abstract

T cell activation begins with the interaction between an antigen-specific T cell and an antigen-presenting cell (APC). This interaction results in the formation of the immunological synapse, which had been considered to be responsible for antigen recognition and T cell activation. Recent advances in imaging analysis have provided new insights into T cell activation. The T cell receptor (TCR) microclusters, TCRs, kinases, and adaptors are generated upon antigen recognition at the interfaces between the T cells and the APCs and serve as a fundamental signaling unit for T cell activation. CD28-mediated costimulation is also found to be regulated by the formation of microclusters. Therefore, the dynamic regulations of TCR and CD28 microcluster formation, migration, and interaction are the key events for the initiation of T cell-mediated immune responses. Comprehensive analyses of the composition and characteristics of the TCR microcluster have identified its dynamic features. This review will outline new discoveries of the microclusters and its related concept in T cell activation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the former and current members of the laboratory for discussions and M. Dustin, R. Varma, A. Shaw, M. Tokunaga, and K. Sogawa for collaborations. T. Y. and T. S. are supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Priority Area Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Suita, Osaka, 565-0081, Japan

    Takashi Saito

  2. Laboratory for Cell Signaling, RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan

    Tadashi Yokosuka

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  1. Tadashi Yokosuka
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  2. Takashi Saito
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Correspondence to Takashi Saito .

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  1. Allergy & Immunology, RIKEN Research Center for, Suehiro-cho 1-7-22, okohama City, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan

    Takashi Saito

  2. London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, Lincoln's Inn Fields 44, London, WC2A 3PX, United Kingdom

    Facundo D. Batista

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Yokosuka, T., Saito, T. (2010). The Immunological Synapse, TCR Microclusters, and T Cell Activation. In: Saito, T., Batista, F. (eds) Immunological Synapse. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 340. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03858-7_5

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