FERMing up the synapse

Abstract

The immunological synapse is characterized by the reorganization of membrane proteins at the immunological synapse. Active cytoskeletal mechanisms are involved in recruiting the TCR, accessory molecules, and the integrin LFA-1 to the contact area. Other molecules like CD43 are excluded from the contact area, but the mechanism of exclusion is unknown. Three papers in this issue of Immunity demonstrate that CD43 exclusion involves the ERM family of cytoskeletal proteins.