title: Maintenance and modulation of T cell polarity.
abstract: As T cells move through the lymphatics and tissues, chemokine receptors, adhesion molecules, costimulatory molecules and antigen receptors engage their ligands in the microenvironment and contribute to establishing and maintaining cell polarity. Cytoskeletal assemblies, surface proteins and vesicle traffic are essential components of polarity and probably stabilize the activity of lymphocytes that must negotiate their 'noisy' environment. An additional component of polarity is a family of polarity proteins in T cells that includes Dlg, Scrib and Lgl, as well as a complex of partitioning-defective proteins. Ultimately, the strength of a T cell response may rely on correct T cell polarization. Therefore, loss of polarity regulators or guidance cues may interfere with T cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0511, USA. matthew.krummel@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Matthew F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Krummel
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism