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.