IMMUNOLOGY IMAGES: T-Cell to B-Cell contact or immune synapse

B-Cell to T-Cell contact. Image shows the intimate contact between two types of immune cell ( a B-lymphocyte and a T-lymphocyte). This is also known as an immune synapse or immunological synapse since cytokines pass between the contact areas in a way analogous to neurotransmitters crossing a neuronal synapse. These immune-cell meetings are involved in immunoregulation. In this instance, the B-Cell acts as an antigen-presenting cell. The stimulation provided by the (Helper) T-Cell triggers the presenting B-Cell to mature (differentiate) into a plasma cell which produces specific antibodies.