Spatial mutation of the T cell immunological synapse.

The hardware for intracellular signaling networks consists of cascades of chemical reactions. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the large-scale spatial organization of molecules in these networks can lead to differential outcomes from otherwise chemically equivalent systems. This has amplified interest in controlled spatial organization as a regulator of cellular signal transduction. In response, a new category of experimentation is developing, in which the spatial positions of signaling molecules in living cells are directly manipulated through mechanical means. These methodologies complement conventional genetic and pharmacological approaches, both of which are chemical in nature, by perturbing the system through exclusively physical mechanisms.