Intercellular exchanges of membrane patches (trogocytosis) highlight the next level of immune plasticity.
Although they have been evidenced a long time ago, exchanges of antigens between cells have remained poorly understood and their significance is still unclear. Yet, intercellular antigen exchanges, and most particularly intercellular exchanges of intact membrane patches, also called trogocytosis, have recently been the subject of renewed interest. We here briefly outline the key findings concerning trogocytosis, and discuss their implications.
Caumartin
Julien
J
Service de Recherches en Hemato-Immunologie, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Hopital Saint Louis, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France.
Lemaoult
Joel
J
Carosella
Edgardo D
ED
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D014181:Transplantation Immunology