Leukocyte adhesion cascade
Definition
A multistep process that facilitates the recruitment and migration of white blood cells to sites of inflammation or infection; observed in several steps, rolling adhesion, firm adhesion, transmigration.
Why it matters
For scientific teams:
- Central to inflammation and immune response studies.
- Requires shear to observe physiologically relevant behavior.
- Enables mechanistic immunology research.
For decision-makers:
- Supports immunology and vascular disease programs.
- Enables mechanistically faithful assays.
- Increases value of shear-enabled platforms.
FAQ
Q: What are the stages of the cascade?
A: Rolling, firm adhesion, and transmigration.
Q: Why is shear required?
A: Rolling dynamics depend on flow forces.