What is T cell trogocytosis?
Physical contact between immune cells allows the exchange of plasma membrane fragments via trogocytosis.
Proteins acquired by trogocytosis can remain functional on recipient cells, granting them new functions with potential consequences on immune responses.
Newly acquired proteins with signaling potential need to access the recipient cell cytoplasm to be able to exert their function.
Protein transmembrane domains and plasma membrane compartments may regulate which proteins can be exchanged between T cells.
Trogocytosis has been shown to affect the immune response in both negative and positive fashions. Modulating it could hold potential in enhancing T cell-based therapies.
https://www.cell.com/trends/immunology/fulltext/S1471-4906(25)00175-9
