KIR2DL2 decreases immune synapse stability. (A) Lipid rafts were visualized with Alexa555-conjugated CTXβ (red) in KIR2DL2⁺ T cells pelleted with SEB-coated 721.221 or 721.221/HLA-Cw3 target cells. The conjugates were transferred to optical dishes, and the kinetics of rafts (red) disbanding in contact areas was monitored by confocal microscopy. A representative picture after 90 minutes is shown. At that time, the raft persisted in conjugates with MHC class I–negative cells (top panel) but had resolved in conjugates with HLA-Cw3–positive cells (bottom panel). (B) Cells were prepared and treated as described in panel A, and images of 10 fields were visualized with a 63 ×/1.4 oil-immersion objective lens. The percentage of T cells in conjugates with target cells (top panel) and the percentage of conjugates with lipid rafts at the contact zone (bottom panel) were determined. Results are shown as mean ± SD of 3 independent experiments.