By David Lee
Cell adhesion is one of the most dynamic fields of biological research and presented in this book is the current knowledge on the structure and function of the major families of cell adhesion molecules-the integrins, the selectins, the immunoglobulin superfamily, and CD44. A great deal of emphasis is placed on the regulatory elements that control the expression and function of adhesion molecules. Cytokines not only induce the expression of certain adhesion molecules, but may also modify their functional status. This is particularly important during leukocyte binding to endothelium and transendothelial migration, which proceeds through a cascade of adhesion events. Although cell adhesion molecules play an important role in many processes, this book concentrates on their role within the immune system.
