Modeling the influence of molecule and cell surface micro-domain distribution on the formation of T cell immunological synapses

Proper functioning of the immune system depends on coordinated intercellular communication that occurs in the "immunological synapse". This is the contact area of cell-cell conjugates where information is transferred via segregated clusters of proteins. Vast experimental datasets on its assembly are available, and mathematical and computational modeling represent a useful tool to integrate all this information. We created a stochastic computer simulation to study immunological synapse formation. Using this simulation we show that the initial locations of adhesion molecules and T cell receptors (TCRs) at the moment of contact influence the inversion of the immature synapse into a mature synapse, and that movement of large clusters of TCRs towards the center of the contact area accelerates this inversion.