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The Immune Synapse pp 1–5Cite as

The Immune Synapse: Past, Present, and Future

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1584))

Abstract

Immunological synapses are specialized cell-cell junctions characterized by (1) close apposition of the immune cell membrane with the membrane of another cell driven by adaptive or innate immune recognition, (2) adhesion, (3) stability, and (4) directed secretion. This phenomenon was first recognized in the 1970s and the early 1980s through electron microscopy of ex vivo functioning immune cells. Progressive advances in fluorescence microscopy and molecular immunology in the past 20 years have led to rapid progress on understanding the modes of cell-cell interaction and underlying molecular events. This volume contains a diverse range of protocols that can be applied to the study of the immunological synapses and related immune cell junctions both in vitro and in vivo; and in disease settings in animal models and humans. We have also included chapters on critical molecular tools such as protein expression and mRNA electroporation that underpin or expand imaging approaches, although they are not specific to the study of immune synapses. We hope that these chapters will be of use to people entering the field as well as seasoned practitioners looking to expand their repertoire of methods.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Éva Culleton-Oltay for assistance with editing the chapters and all the authors for their hard work on this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, The University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, OX3 7FY, UK

    Michael L. Dustin

  2. Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Michael L. Dustin

  3. Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Cosima T. Baldari

Authors
  1. Michael L. Dustin
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  2. Cosima T. Baldari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael L. Dustin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Siena, Italy

    Cosima T. Baldari

  2. University of Oxford, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Michael L. Dustin

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Dustin, M.L., Baldari, C.T. (2017). The Immune Synapse: Past, Present, and Future. In: Baldari, C., Dustin, M. (eds) The Immune Synapse. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1584. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6881-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6881-7_1

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6879-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6881-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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