Interactions between immune cells and their microenvironment

In the past, studies of the immune system have identified molecules and cell types with immunological function and focussed on interactions between these components. However, it is increasingly apparent that the ability of immune cells to interact with elements from their microenvironment such as extracellular matrix components and stromal cells, that are often considered unlinked to the adaptive immune system, is central to the successful and correct functioning of the immune system. As a consequence, a number of sophisticated techniques have been used to analyse these interactions in vitro and in vivo. Here we describe the interactions involved in immune function and some of the methods used to examine them, focussing particularly on those that use imaging techniques.