Random Migration and Signal Integration Promote Rapid and Robust T Cell Recruitment
Figure 7
Randomly migrating T cells swiftly arrive at Ag-bearing SLOs.
Throughout, dLN numbers refer to LNs represented by a single sphere. (A) Trajectories illustrating the simulations underlying (B) – (E): randomly circulating cells are followed until reaching an organ of interest (here, the spleen). (B,C) Arrival of in silico cells (solid lines) at (B) the spleen or (C) different numbers of dLNs during the in vivo priming periods (shaded areas) following (B) blood-borne Listeria infection [1], [46] or (C) local influenza infection [48]. The fraction of in silico cells that arrive during the priming period is compared to in vivo recruitment levels (gray bars) determined at the peak of the response [1]. (D) Redistribution of in silico cells from ndLNs, spleen and blood to 1 dLN (blue line) whose entry rate increases 9-fold during the first 4.5d p.i. compared to in vivo T cell numbers per dLN (circles and error bars) in vaginal HSV-2 infection [50]. T cell numbers are converted to percentages assuming that a mouse harbors T cells [3]. (E) In vivo depletion of Ag-specific T cells from ndLNs following HSV-1 infection with 2 draining popliteal LNs (circles and error bars; ref. [2]) compared to in silico depletion for 2 dLNs either with (upper line) or without (lower line) increasing entry rates like in (D).