Berlin 2012 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 17: Posters: Physics of Cells
BP 17.32: Poster
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 17:30–19:30, Poster A
Adhesion forces during immunological synapse formation — •Janosch Deeg1,2, Anastasia Liapis3, David Depoil3, Catharina Cadmus1,2, Michael Dustin3, and Joachim Spatz1,2 — 1Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Stuttgart, Germany — 2University of Heidelberg, Institute for Physical Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry Group, Heidelberg, Germany, — 3Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York
A key element of the adaptive immune response is the interaction between T lymphozytes and antigen presenting cells (APC), which can lead to the so-called T cell activation. During interaction a complex molecular structure, the immune synapse (IS) at the T cell/APC-interface is formed. In order to quantify the interaction forces and kinetics during synapse formation we measured adhesion forces using an atomic force microscope. Our ongoing research focuses on mimicking the APC interface by a synthetic analogue allowing for the control of arrangement of involved proteins. Highly structured nanoparticles are employed as molecular anchor points for proteins of interest which in turn are then used to activate T cells and investigate the complex process of IS formation while having precise control over important parameters at the nanometer scale.