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First published online January 10, 2008
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/jcs.021253

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How polarity shapes the destiny of T cells

Immune Signalling Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 2002, Australia and Center for MicroPhotonics, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria 3122, Australia

e-mail: sarah.russell{at}petermac.org

Accepted 6 November 2007

The differentiation, activation and expansion of T cells are dictated by their integrated response to a complex array of extracellular signals. Recent studies provide insight into how these signals are integrated and demonstrate a key role for cell shape in many aspects of T-cell signalling. T cells polarise during migration, antigen presentation and cell division to give rise to daughter cells that can have different cell fates. In each case, the polarity of the T cell facilitates this activity. This raises the possibility that adoption of a polarised state acts as a positive feedback mechanism to enhance responses to specific signals. Similarly, in asymmetric division of other cell types, the distribution of different molecules into each daughter can have profound consequences for proliferation, death and differentiation. The mechanisms of polarity regulation are far better understood in cells such as epithelial cells, neurons and neuronal precursors, and the fertilised zygote. With the emerging parallels between polarity in these cells and T cells, we should now be able to elucidate how polarity affects signalling and cell fate determination in T cells.

Key words: T cells, Polarity, Immunological synapse

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