Effects of fluid dynamic forces on vascular cell adhesion.

Cell adhesion plays a key role in a number of diverse biological processes, including inflammation and thrombosis. In the cardiovascular system, cells are exposed constantly to hemodynamic forces due to the flow of blood. Cell attachment to vessel wall depends on the balance between the dispersive hydrodynamic forces and the adhesive forces generated by the interaction of membrane-bound receptors and their ligands. Understanding the complex interplay among blood flow, cell adhesion, and vascular biology at the molecular level is crucial for developing specific approaches for altering vessel pathology. The extravasation of leukocytes from the vasculature to the tissue space is the pivotal event of the immune response and represents a relevant example of this dynamic adhesion process.