Visualizing dynamic microvillar search and stabilization during ligand detection by T cells

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aal3118
• Publication Date: 2017-05-11T18:10:40Z
• Authors: En Cai; Kyle Marchuk; Peter Beemiller; Casey Beppler; Matthew G. Rubashkin; Valerie M. Weaver; Audrey Gérard; Tsung-Li Liu; Bi-Chang Chen; Eric Betzig; Frederic Bartumeus; Matthew F. Krummel
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; General Science & Technology; 1.1 Normal biological development and functioning; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; T-Lymphocytes; Immunology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; 612; Ligands; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Receptors; Quantum Dots; 2.1 Biological and endogenous factors; Animals; Antigens; Microscopy; Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Microvilli; Inflammatory and immune system; Biological Sciences; T-Cell; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; Actin Cytoskeleton; Fractals; Antigen; Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Search and capture in space and time

How immunological T cells scan target cells for ligands is poorly understood. Cai et al. examined microvillar dynamics in living T cells in three dimensions and real time. The T cells palpated all spots on a surface within about 1 min through rapid movements of their microvilli. The time it took to scan the surface matched the movement rate of cells through tissues. These contacts took place in the absence of T cell receptor recognition and were stabilized independently of signaling or the cytoskeleton. Instead, stabilization depended on ligand affinity. The findings explain why many of the previously described components of the immunological synapse and T cell receptor signaling reside on three-dimensional microvillar-derived projections.

Science , this issue p. eaal3118