Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2012
ReviewRelevance of endothelial junctions in leukocyte extravasation and vascular permeability.
Inflammation and immune surveillance rely on the ability of leukocytes to leave the blood stream and enter tissue. Cytokines and chemokines regulate expression and the activation state of adhesion molecules that enable leukocytes to adhere and arrest at sites of leukocyte exit. ⋯ This work has revealed the dominant importance of the junctional pathway between endothelial cells in vivo. In addition, recent progress has improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate junctional stability, the opening of endothelial junctions during leukocyte extravasation, and the induction of vascular permeability.