The role of spectrin in immunological synapse formation. Schema of the
immunological synapse (IS) and representative protein interactions in the
synaptic space. In the central SMAC, the T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex
interacts with MHC-peptide. The adhesion molecules on the surface of both
cells (LFA-1–ICAM-1) are responsible for the formation and stabilization of
the IS, as well as for initiating signal transduction pathways activated by
TCR. The distal ring of IS is rich in proteins, such as CD45 and F-actin
controls lamellipodia and filopodia formation. The spectrin through the
presence at sites of immunological synapses in T cells and interaction with
actin, CD45 and regulation of LFA-1 integrin clustering, may participate in
this dynamic actin-rich process which is essential for immunological synapse
formation. c-SMAC: central-SMAC; d-SMAC: distal-SMAC; ICAM-1: intercellular
adhesion molecule1; LFA-1: lymphocytes function-associated antigen 1;
p-SMAC: peripheral-SMAC; SMAC: supramolecular activation cluster. (A color
version of this figure is available in the online journal.)