Abstract
To mount an immune response, Tcells must first find rare antigens present at the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). They achieve this by migrating rapidly through the crowded space of tissues and constantly sampling the surface of APCs. Upon antigen recognition, Tcells decelerate and polarise towards the APC, ultimately forming a specialised interface known as the immunological synapse. These conjugates form as the result of the interaction between pairs of receptors/ligands that are under mechanical stress due to the continuously reorganising cell cytoskeleton. In this review, we discuss the involvement of mechanical forces during antigen recognition by migrating Tcells. We will explore this question from a conceptual and technical perspective, with the aim of providing new insights into the emerging field of mechanobiology.
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