title: Analysis of Microtubules and Microtubule-Organizing Center at the Immune Synapse.
abstract: The immune synapse (IS) is a specialized structure that enables cell-cell communication between immune cells. As such, it involves direct cell-to-cell contact. It is sustained by cytoskeletal components that allow the intracellular polarization of different organelles and the surface re-organization of signaling and adhesion receptors. The tubulin-based cytoskeleton is a key player in IS formation and signaling. We describe methods to analyze through Western blot and microscopy analysis the polarization to the IS of the centrosome, also known as microtubule-organizing center (MTOC), the dynamics of microtubule growth and polymerization from the MTOC to the IS and the activation of signaling molecules.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Diego de León 62, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blas-Rus
authors.affiliation: Vascular PathophysiologyArea, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bustos-Morán
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Diego de León 62, 28006, Madrid, Spain. fsmadrid@salud.madrid.org.|Vascular PathophysiologyArea, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029, Madrid, Spain. fsmadrid@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Madrid
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Diego de León 62, 28006, Madrid, Spain.|Vascular PathophysiologyArea, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Noa B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Martín-Cófreces
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D054992:Immunological Synapses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D022101:Microtubule-Organizing Center / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: Centrosome; Cytoskeleton; Immune synapse; Microtubules; Mitochondria; Signaling; T Cell receptor