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Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · 7d

Lovely trip to @institutcurie.bsky.social this week for student viva.
Paris in the sunshine ☀️

Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · 7d

We found that the FRC network in lymph nodes requires protrusions to follow ECM scaffolds and to link neighbouring fibroblasts.

FRC use MARCKS to generate protrusions, and that PKN2 is the key kinase for these stroma

Updated preprint below
First round of revisions done

doi.org/10.21203/rs....

PKN2 signalling induces stromal cell protrusions to preserve lymph node structural integrity

Secondary lymphoid tissues develop specialized reticular networks to facilitate immune cell communication and efficient activation of adaptive immunity. This stromal network architecture is robust, ma...

doi.org

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Stromal Immunology @stromalimmunology.bsky.social · 14d

Dr. Sophie Acton (@actonlab.bsky.social/UCL)

is a Cancer Research UK Senior Fellow with an interest in lymphoid tissue biology.

At #KSStromal26, she'll be sharing her insights on podoplanin - a molecule that controls DC motility within the lymph node.

Register now! Link in bio.

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Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · 27d

see you there!

Reposted by Sophie Acton

Anne Fletcher @fibroblast-fletch.bsky.social · Aug 4

Save the date! Keystone Stromal Immunology meeting, Feb 2-5, 2026 #KSStromal26
1. Scholarships/Short Talk Abstracts: October 7
2. Early Registration: December 3 (Save $200!)
3. Poster Abstracts: January 12, 2026 (11:59 MST)
Please share! And reach out if you have any questions.
Can't wait!

Flyer for Keystone meeting on Stromal immunology in health and disease, Feb 2-5th 2026.

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Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · 27d

Pleased to update this - The paper is published in Cell Reports!
A long road for this one, the paper grew exponentially and evolved over a couple of years. Thanks to @makris1.bsky.social for sticking with it to untangle all the new data!

@cp-cellreports.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · Nov 22

Our latest preprint! - led by @makris1.bsky.social
we find that Podoplanin expression in lymphoid tissue fibroblasts regulated their inflammatory signalling and crosstalk with immune cell populations
doi.org/10.1101/2022...

single cell RNAseq data showing shifts in fibroblast phenotypes after genetic deletion of Podoplanin in lymph node stroma.

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Spiros Makris @makris1.bsky.social · Jun 29

Our latest paper is finally out! We are showing the significance of the podoplanin/CLEC-2 signaling axis beyond controlling cellular mechanics and actomyosin contractility.
#fibroblasts #podoplanin #stroma #inflammation

@actonlab.bsky.social

www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Lymph node fibroblast phenotypes and immune crosstalk regulated by podoplanin activity

Makris et al. show that podoplanin regulates the transcription profile of lymph node fibroblasts. Podoplanin deletion drives inflammation, disrupts lymph node architecture, and attenuates stromal/immu...

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Discovery Immunology @discovimmunol.bsky.social · Apr 15

🔬 Calling all researchers! 📢

Submit your research or reviews on myeloid cells for a special collection curated by experts!

Dive into the latest on their role in health & disease, and contribute to cutting-edge immunology. 🧬

👉 Learn more & submit: bit.ly/43OULe9

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

UCL Faculty of Life Sciences @ucllifesciences.bsky.social · Apr 7

Learn more about UCL's Computational Cell Biophysics MRes by registering for one of our virtual open events on Wednesday 9 April: www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences...

MRes Computational Cell Biophysics virtual open events

Join one of our online open day sessions to find out more about UCL's Computational Cell Biophysics MRes.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Discovery Immunology @discovimmunol.bsky.social · Mar 28

Contribute to the latest research on neuroinflammation! 🧠🔬

We’re inviting submissions on microglia, CNS immunopathology, and novel immune interactions in the brain.

Submit by June 2025!

📄 Learn more: bit.ly/3XAlsPV

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Discovery Immunology @discovimmunol.bsky.social · Mar 25

🐟 Did you know the immune system might be linked to the lunar cycle? A new study on freshwater three-spined sticklebacks suggests a tiny endogenous tidal rhythm in immune gene expression! 🌊🔬

Read more in Discovery Immunology 👉 bit.ly/4hMtCMm #Immunology

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · Mar 12

In their Review, Julien Morival, Anna Hazelwood and Jan Lammerding @lammerdinglab.bsky.social discuss new insights and technological advances in understanding nuclear mechanotransduction.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

Cartoon showing key mechanotransduction signalling pathways to the nucleus. Mechanosensitive ion channels at the plasma and nuclear membranes allow Ca2+ entry into the cytoplasm and nucleus, activating downstream signalling pathways. NE stretching opens NPCs, facilitating entry of transcription factors (TF) and transcriptional coregulators (TCR) that alter gene expression. Additionally, NE stretching activates Ca2+ channels in the ER, promoting Ca2+ entry into the nucleus. Stretch-induced activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) further drives the arachidonic acid (AA) pathway, leading to gene expression changes.

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · Mar 10

Issue 4 is complete

Explore our ToC: journals.biologists.com/jcs/issue/13...

Our cover image shows the stacked membranous discs which form the outer segments of photoreceptor cells. See article from Mohona Gupta, Gregory Pazour and colleagues: journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

Journal of Cell Science cover featuring a transmission electron micrograph of the stacked membranous discs which form the outer segments of photoreceptor cells.

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Nature Reviews Immunology @natrevimmunol.nature.com · Feb 6

NEW @preprintclub.bsky.social Journal Club of @biorxiv-immuno.bsky.social paper by @makris1.bsky.social @actonlab.bsky.social showing that loss of podoplanin in fibroblastic reticular cells results in decreased antibody levels and smaller germinal centres after immunization

Podoplanin mediates stromal–immune crosstalk in the lymph node - Nature Reviews Immunology

A preprint by Makris et al. shows that podoplanin is a key regulator of the functions of fibroblastic reticular cells in lymph nodes, by modulating interactions with immune cells.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Preprint Club - Immunology @preprintclub.bsky.social · Dec 18

And Erika McCartney from Toronto will present a preprint about the effect of Podoplanin expression on the phenotypes and immunoregulatory properties of fibroblasts in lymph nodes. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Lymph Node Fibroblast Phenotypes and Immune Crosstalk Regulated by Podoplanin Activity

Lymph nodes are uniquely organised niches for immune interactions. Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) facilitate immune cell communication and regulate immune function by producing growth factors, ch...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

UCL Faculty of Life Sciences @ucllifesciences.bsky.social · Feb 4

On #WorldCancerDay, we meet with @actonlab.bsky.social where Sophie Acton delves into the interactions between immune cells and support cells in lymph nodes and tumours. She discusses how fibroblasts influence immune responses and their potential in cancer therapy.
www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences...

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · Feb 4

Also in Issue 2:
- Research Highlights on axon guidance, muscle fibres & EGFR signalling
- Meet our Associate Editors, Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social, Pedro Carvalho, @guijacquemet.bsky.social, @ckirchhelle.bsky.social & Aryeh Warmflash
- GAG lyases Review
journals.biologists.com/jcs/issue/13...

From left to right: Sophie Acton, Pedro Carvalho, Guillaume Jacquemet, Charlotte Kirchhelle and Aryeh Warmflash.

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · Jan 27

JCS Editor-in-Chief @drmichaelway.bsky.social introduces our new Associate Editors.

We are delighted to welcome Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social, Pedro Carvalho, @guijacquemet.bsky.social, @ckirchhelle.bsky.social and Aryeh Warmflash to the JCS team.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

From left to right in individual pictures: Sophie Acton, Pedro Carvalho, Guillaume Jacquemet, Charlotte Kirchhelle and Aryeh Warmflash.

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · Jan 27

Sophie @actonlab.bsky.social will handle manuscripts on immune cell biology, immunology, tumour microenvironment and lymphoid tissues. You can learn more about Sophie’s research in our Cell Scientist to Watch interview from 2020:
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Matyas Bubna-Litic @matyasbl.bsky.social · Dec 6

Happy to share that my PhD work got published in the special issue dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of the Spemann-Mangold Organiser:

Tissue mechanics modulate morphogen signalling to induce the head organiser
doi.org/10.1016/j.cd...
With @mayorlab.bsky.social and Guillaume Charras

1/n

Redirecting

doi.org

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Johanna Joyce @johannajoyce.bsky.social · Nov 27

Super talk at #EMDS2024 by Anna Obenauf on myeloid cell hubs for T cell interactions in cancer 👏

And this is coming out in Nature 🧪 in just a few hours - congrats to Anais, Guillem, Anna & all authors 🥳🎉

@aelewaut.bsky.social
@guillemxtivill.bsky.social
@obenaufa.bsky.social
@impvienna.bsky.social

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Christina Zielinski @zielinskilab.bsky.social · Nov 19

Dear Immunology aficionados, you like to hear some exciting short lectures about the latest immunological discoveries from prominent scientists? Then join the virtual ImmuneAlliance Seminar series! Every 3rd Wed each month. For the link: dgfi.org/immune-allia.... #dgfi #ydgfi

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Reposted by Sophie Acton

Jez Carlton @jezcarlton.bsky.social · Nov 25

UK Membrane Trafficking 2024

Who doesn’t like a deadline that gets brought forward?

Please register by 3rd December - King’s need longer to make the sandwiches than I previously thought!

estore.kcl.ac.uk/conferences-...

Programme coming soon!

UK Membrane Trafficking Meeting 2024 | King's College London eStore

Registration for the 2024 UK Membrane Trafficking Meeting, held at KCL.  Registration per person, to include sandwich lunch and coffee breaks and even

estore.kcl.ac.uk

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Sophie Acton @actonlab.bsky.social · Nov 22

amazing, massive congratulations!

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