How to mark communicating cells?

[Dims]

Hi!

 

Is it possible to somehow mark communicating immune cells?

 

I'v read, that immune cells are communicating with each other, including communications while close contact. And that it is some kind of network of such communications.

 

Are there some methods to trace this communication network with some cellular marks?

 

For example, may be it is possible to make some radioactive mark, that trasfers from one cell to another when contacting. Or may be it is possible to invent some kind of low activity virus, that infect cells only when they are contacting and does not kill them, but only marking?

 

Thank you and excuse my English!

[scicop]

There are a number of ways to detect communication, you just have to be creative!

 

I will assume you have a specific pathway you're looking at and what time of communcation? are your factors soluble or membrane bound? i.e. Are you looking for cell-cell contact or activation of a cell type by a release factor?

 

Cell-cell contact is rather easy, you can just do a basic cell aggregation assay. Label one cell with GFP, the other with RFP, mix and look for aggregates. Alot of immune-cell communications is through cell-cell contact and involves the formation of an immunological synapse.

 

If you're looking for activation in the presence of another cell, then you need a reporter system. If you're looking at say a Toll receptor, you can use Toll receptor activation as a read-out (i.e. put a GFP reporter downstream).

 

Think about it more, there are lots of articles out there...and techniques...good luck.