Overview
Leukocyte adherence to endothelial cells is a critical early step in the onset of inflammatory disease. This monograph provides a unique description of adhesion as it relates to the subsequent event of transendothelial migration of leukocytes. Combining theoretical background and practical knowledge, the book describes the mechanisms of leukocyte adhesion, providing information that could eventually facilitate the clinical treatment of inflammation. There is a special section on soluble mediators that influence the ability of these cells to be activated. The work also extends its detailed description of adhesion as an in vitro phenomenon to the latest studies of in vivo animal models which provide the first significant evidence of adhesion as an essential step in the progression of inflammatory disease. This collection of important advances in the field of cellular adhesion will be of value to graduate students, researchers, and clinicians interested in a complete discussion of leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion and its role in inflammatory disease.