Overview of leukocyte adhesion

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Abstract
Leukocyte extravasation can be divided into three distinct stages(figure). The first stage, termed tethering and/or rolling, is mediated by a family of adhesion molecules called selectins. Selectins consist of three structurally homologous proteins that are expressed on leukocytes (L-selectin), platelets (P-selectin), and endothelial cells (E-selectin and P-selectin). In this first stage, a leukocyte that is flowing freely in the blood makes the initial contact with the inflamed vasculature at or near the site of the trauma and then rolls to a site close to where the leukocyte will ultimately leave the bloodstream in its journey to the lesion.