This article describes a method to visualize formation of an HIV-1 envelope-induced virological synapse on glass supported planar bilayers by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. The method can also be combined with immunofluorescence staining to detect activation and redistribution of signaling molecules that occur during HIV-1 envelope-induced virological synapse formation.
Here we present the protocol for the stepwise reconstitution of synthetic antigen-presenting cells using Bead-Supported Lipid Bilayers and their use to interrogate the synaptic output from activated T cells.