ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the dynamic regulation of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) permits the directed migration of immune cells and offers strategies to modulate the migration of immune cells therapeutically. Most infections will initially constitute a small number of pathogens and be localized to a small tissue area. Adaptive immunity is initiated when antigen-presenting cells, primarily dendritic cells, present antigen to lymphocytes in inductive immune compartments, such as lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. Lymphocytes isolated from skin-draining lymph nodes retained a preference for the skin-draining lymph nodes of recipients. In contrast to lymphocyte migration from the blood into lymph nodes, the migration of dendritic cells into draining lymph nodes can occur in the absence of integrins. Effector T cells can acquire distinct migratory properties. A large share of the effector T-cell population will start to express CAMs and chemokine receptors involved in lymphocyte migration to extralymphoid tissues and sites of inflammation.
