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Updated: May 3, 2026

Author Spotlight: Development of a Method for Identifying Small Molecular Antagonists of β2 Integrin Activation
Published on: February 2, 2024
Detection of bidirectional signaling during integrin activation and neutrophil adhesion
Stuart M Altman1, Neha Dixit, Scott I Simon
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Neutrophil arrest and migration on inflamed endothelium is dependent upon a conformational shift in CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1) from a low to high affinity and clustered state which determines the strength and lifetime of bond formation with intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Cytoskeletal adaptor proteins kindlin-3 and talin-1 anchor clustered LFA-1 to the cytoskeleton and support the transition from neutrophil rolling to arrest. We employ microfluidic flow channels and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to evaluate the spatiotemporal regulation of LFA-1 affinity and bond formation that facilitate the transition from neutrophil rolling to arrest. Methodology is presented to correlate the relationship between integrin conformation, bond formation with ICAM-1, and cytoskeletal engagement and adhesion strengthening necessary to achieve a migratory phenotype.
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