Integrin-dependent neutrophil migration in extravascular tissue

Leukocyte recruitment to sites of injury or infection involves sequential interactions with endothelium and extravascular tissue components. While the intravascular events in this process have been extensively studied, the mechanisms regulating subsequent passage through the surrounding tissue are less well characterized. The migrating white blood cells need to establish transient and dynamic adhesive contacts with extracellular matrix proteins. Integrin receptors expressed on the leukocyte surface play a central role in these interactions, mediating linkages between the cytoskeloton and the external environment. This chapter focuses on roles of integrin molecules in neutrophil locomotion and the adhesive mechanisms that govern the motility of these cells in the extravascular tissue.