About This Image

T cells recognize foreign antigen in the context of peptide MHC (pMHC) presented on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APC). Upon contact, molecules on the surface of T cells and APC aggregate and segregate at the interface into a bull's-eye structure that has been named the immunological synapse.  Reminiscent of the neurological synapse, communication between the T cell and APC takes place across the immunological synapse. The supramolecular organization of the synapse brings together the T cell receptor (TCR) and adhesion molecule signaling platforms. The image depicted shows an immunological synapse formed by a T cell interacting with a planar lipid bilayer surface to mimic the APC.  The pSMAC (outer ring) is designated red and contains fluorescent-labeled ICAM-1 molecules bound to LFA-1 on the T cell while the central cluster (the cSMAC) is green and contains fluorescent-labeled pMHC molecules interacting with TCR.

(Image provided by Yuri Sykulev's lab).