Prof. Dr. Markus Sperandio, München
ABSTRACT
Trafficking of immune cells is a key prerequisite for immune surveillance under physiological steady state conditions and during disease states. This process already starts to develop during fetal life as proper immune surveillance is of utmost importance in mammalian homeostasis and ensures defense against pathogen intruders. In order to be both functional and efficient, the migration and trafficking behavior of immune cells has to be precisely controlled and fine-tuned on demand from the fetal life into adulthood. This critical task is complicated by the fact that trafficking of immune cells does not follow a uniform process. Indeed, different types of immune cells are rather endowed with unique machinery allowing them to chase subset-specific trafficking routes in order to fulfill their individual tasks within their individual target tissues. To date, the molecular and cellular signatures that control and organize this complex process of immune cell trafficking are still incompletely understood. The symposium will bring together scientists from various countries who will provide a state-of-the-art overview on the recent advances of our understanding of the signals and mechanisms that regulate the migratory responses of distinct leukocyte subsets in inflammation and during fetal development.