Aim and Shoot: How cytotoxic T cells kill their targets

Mon
03/05/2012
1:00pm
RLM 11.204
Martin Poenie
Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology, UT Austin
Aim and Shoot: How cytotoxic T cells kill their targets
 

Cytotoxic T cells accomplish their task through the localized secretion of molecules that kill tumor and virus-infected cells. The entire process is largely orchestrated by the molecular motor protein dynein that carries cargo (secretory vesicles) along microtubules towards the microtubule organizing center (MTOC; see green labeled structures in the image). We will present evidence that there are two separate dynein complexes that join forces to deliver secretory vesicles to the target cell.